Knots Of Fate
by Skyfire Dragono
Summary: Sequel to Twists of Fate. What is this? Kagome can no longer change and Yasha is now a half-demon? The Truth behind the Exterminator lineage is now known, but the group is far from safe. What's going to happen to them now? Will Sango and Yasha ever make it home? It a little slow at the beginning, but gets better as it goes on. Kag/IY later
1. The First Steps

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**Knots of Fate**

_Sequel to Twist of Fate_

By: Sky

**Chapter One: The First Steps**

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Yasha sat at the side of the cave, Sango sitting across from where he sat. Her gaze was still unbelieving as she looked from the locket to Yasha, and then back again.

"Will you stop doing that," Yasha growled, as Sango looked back up at him for the umpteenth time.

"I just can't believe it. But now that I look at you and her, you do resemble her. I don't know why I didn't see it before."

"Alright. You didn't see it. Now will you stop staring at me. It's getting annoying."

"I don't understand what's going on," commented Miroku, looking between Sango and Yasha.

"Apparently Yasha here is the daughter of one of Sango's Aunts, making him her cousin," commented Aveatre, catching on quickly to the situation. Miroku gave her a curious look, and then looked back at Sango.

"So you two are related?"

"It looks like it," commented Sango with a still-shocked expression. She was trying to process the information that she had just learned.

"I'm guessing that neither of you knew this."

"No wonder you were so good at training," commented Sango seemingly to herself as she looked back up at Yasha. "You already had the blood lines for it. You were a natural because you are a born and breed Exterminator."

"Whatever," commented Yasha, looking away and into the forest. He was uncomfortable with all the looks that everyone was giving him. He never was one who liked a lot of attention, and now he seemed to be the center of it. Clansman roamed around and passed by the small group many times, but they took no notice of it. Nor did the Clansman stop by to see what was going on. Each group was paying attention to their own business.

"So, this is a new and interesting development," commented Miroku to Haruki, and he nodded in agreement. Yasha finally had enough. He stood up with a growl, drawing everyone's attention, and glared at them.

"Alright. So we're related. Big deal. Get over it. Now are we going to leave already, or are you all just going to sit around and gab. If you wanna do that, it's fine. I'll go by myself." He turned around, and stalked towards the cave and the bag that he had half-packed.

"Touchy isn't he?" commented Kagome, and Sango nodded.

"I don't know much about his family, but I don't think he's had a good time with it. I don't think he wants to be related to anyone else. It's just another excuse to get hurt." The others brooded in silence, mulling over the information, before Haruki looked towards the cave, his gaze still on it as he cleared his throat.

"I think he really does have every intention of leaving us behind. So, shall we get ready to go?" His attention turned back to the others, who nodded and rose from their places, each heading to gather their respective bags and supplies. Yasha didn't notice when they all dispersed, and went about their various duties, trying to pack. He was still in shock; discovering that he had family outside of his mother, and his long-absent father. But why had they not come for him when his mother had died? Why did they leave him to the horrible life that he had had to lead when there was no one left to protect him? Apparently, from the sound of it, his mother had been forced to leave, and that they hadn't been able to find her. But he'd seen Sango find something when she put her mind to it. Most Exterminators had that trait, as even the elder Exterminator Hashba showed the talent. They must not have really been looking for her, and that made him even angrier. And some of his anger was aimed at Sango, though he knew that she didn't have anything to do with it. But she was still one of them; and he had become one of them as well.

Yasha angrily threw another set of clothing into his pack, before tying it off with a vengeance. He didn't care anymore if the others came with him. Naraku was his problem, for going after Kagome. And that jerk Sesshomaru made it seem like it was all his idea. He would let them do what they would. He would take on this journey, and come back to face everyone after he had defeated the demon that was causing them all grief. But his plans were to be once more thwarted as he stepped outside of the cavern, and found everyone else standing there with traveling packs. Kirara was in her small form, and curled up on Sango's shoulder, giving him a happy greeting mewl as he stepped into the light. Aveatre had her son once more in the back sling, so that he was comfortably tucked, while Haruki had the supplies in a pack on his back. Even the Monk appeared ready, and that irked Yasha even more, for some reason.

He stormed past everyone, letting them catch up, if they decided to. Kagome was the first to turn and follow, then Aveatre and Haruki; leaving the two Exterminators to bring up the rear. For a moment, some of the Clansman paused to watch the odd procession, before continuing along with their tasks. Surely someone knew that Kagome looked as though she was going with the Exterminator boy. Though, it was more likely that she would just be leading them for a short while, and then turn back to go home. Kagome had done that many times when she was younger; leading a delegation from the palace, or leading her father to some meeting or another. But none ever expected Kagome to actually plan on going on this journey. It never crossed their minds.

Nor did it cross the mind of the journeyers, as they continued to trek on. As they walked, Yasha's mood seemed to lighten a bit, especially when Kagome walked beside him in companionable silence. The animated discussion that Haruki and Aveatre were having also seemed to lighten his mood a bit, as they argued about edible vegetation, best hunting locations, and camping locations. Miroku and Sango didn't add anything to the conversation, and just smiled as one side or the other became heated with the defense of their knowledge. Most of the day continued in this similar thread, until a loud clearing of a throat caught everyone's attention.

Above the path, not 30 feet ahead, stood the human form of Guthrow. His multi-colored hair and eyes seemed to blend surprisingly well with the forest, so he seemed almost to melt away from the tree that he had been standing against.

"And where do you all think you are going?" he asked, looking from one to the other; his eyes boring into theirs. All members of the party looked him back fully into his strange eyes.

"We're going after Naraku," stated Haruki. Guthrow arched an eyebrow at them all.

"Even Kagome?"

"I'm old enough to decide my own path," replied Kagome; crossing her arms across her chest. "I don't need the approval of my brother or of my father."

"Ah, so I was right. He doesn't know." Kagome fidgeted a bit, a little nervous as Guthrow did not remove his eyes from hers.

"No, he doesn't know. But there needs to be a representative of the Taisho clan," Kagome added quickly before Guthrow could speak again. "He has caused nearly irreparable damage to the family because of the actions he has taken." Kagome bore her wrist to him; showing the scar that she had received from her first encounter with the altered velkir. It was a scar that made Yasha flinch every time he saw it. It was a reminder that he couldn't protect her. And it would always be.

Guthrow also flinched as he saw the scar, for demons didn't scar easily. Kagome had to have nearly lost her hand to have obtained it. And the fact that she had dared been attacked on her family's soil, let alone near the palace, was a grave insult to the family. One that would have to be rectified. And now, he having a link to the South made him many times more the desired catch. Even if it wasn't said aloud, there was a bounty on his head now. Any demon who sought favor with the Taisho clan, or was a friend, would be hunting him down. The poor creature didn't stand a chance.

"And since Sesshomaru isn't here, that leaves me. Father of course cannot leave the palace unattended, and I don't have the training yet to take over for any leave of absence that he takes." Guthrow couldn't help but smile at Kagome's reasoning.

"You really have thought this thing out haven't you?" Kagome replied with a half-shrug that he had seen Yasha do countless times, and hid his smile again. She really was learning too much from the boy.

"It's nothing but the truth. Sesshomaru has headed off on his own quest…"

"With my damn sword," mumbled Yasha, with everyone trying to hid their grins at the glum way he said it.

"… to do who knows what, and that leaves me the only representative left."

"As I heard it Kagome, Sesshomaru was also leaving to find Naraku." He arched an eyebrow at her, but she didn't look impressed. She shrugged her shoulders again, before turning to look at the group behind her.

"They're on an official journey to find this man who's been messing around with the velkir and plainly making Yasha and my life hell. I think there needs to be a representative here. And who knows, Sesshomaru may get to him first, but he's going to have to keep a quick step if he wants to stay ahead of us." Kagome nodded her head as she finished her sentence, as if that was all that was needed. Her ears were tilted in a defiant cant, which Guthrow knew meant that she wasn't going to budge. Kagome had made up her mind, and not even the dog-lord himself would be able to sway her decision. Guthrow couldn't help but give a light-hearted sigh, and shook his head.

"Alright. I see I'm not going to get you to change your mind. But I suggest that you leave word with your father before you decide to head out on this endeavor. With your history, he may think that you've gotten into trouble again."

"I already left a scroll explaining the situation in Yasha's cave. The clansman will find it, I made sure, and take it to him. He will know what is going on, and the company I am keeping. He should not worry overly much about me." Kagome's tone was satisfactory as she told Guthrow about the letter. She had hoped that the clansman would find it before long and give it to her father, but she also hoped it would wait until nightfall. They wouldn't be out of range, but they would at least be far enough away by then that her father might not think about coming and getting her. It was a risk she had taken, and she hoped that her planning would work out as she had planned it, or she was never going to hear the end of how her father thought that she had been abducted again.

Guthrow shook his head again.

"You really have planned this all out haven't you, and in the short time you had to do it, I would say you've done pretty well. Alright, if you think you have your bases covered, then I suspect we might want to head out, so that we may get as far as we can before the light fades." Kagome gave him an odd expression as Guthrow changed back into his natural wolf-ish form.

"You mean, you're coming with us?" Multi-colored eyes turned and looked at her over his shoulder; looking at her as though she were some daft child that needed things to be slowly explained to her.

"Why, of course I am Kagome. Someone needs to keep an eye on you…. That isn't Yasha of course," he quickly amended as he saw the proverbial hackles of Yasha raise at the mention that he might not be able to protect her. "And I would rather risk your wrath then the combined forces of Karamina and InuTaisho combined. I like my pelt on my body, then hanging in their chambers." His gaze traveled to the rest of the rag-tag group, and he bowed to them. "So, the total is three Exterminators, and four demons traveling together…" A mewl from Sango's fur cuff, and the rise of a cream and black head with red eyes told him that there was another demon in the mix. "Forgive me, five demons…." And at that moment, little Shippo decided to start fussing in the sling at his mothers back. Sango couldn't help but smile as she watched the wolf-ish demon cross his eyes at the well-timed reminder. "… six demons, and three Exterminators. Is that the final tally?"

"Well, if you want to get technical…," started Haruki, only to get jabbed in the ribs by his nearby mate, to end his sentence with an undignified 'oof'.

"Yes, there are six demons and three Exterminators," finished Aveatre smoothly with a voice suppressed with mirth. Miroku smiled at her as she soothed Shippo back to sleep, and then turned to Sango with an even wider one. Sango knew the look, and raised a fist his direction.

"Don't even think about it buddy." As Miroku tried to look innocent and sound hurt, Sango stepped forward, prompting the rest of the group to start moving forward. Kagome and Yasha turned away from the others again, and led the precession; Yasha with one hand resting lightly for a moment on Guthrows shoulder before letting it fall back to it's normal rhythm at his side. And through the touch was brief, and through he would never say it, Guthrow knew that Yasha was glad he was coming along.

Guthrow knew the journey before them would be a long one, and they would face many dangers; many that the pups didn't even know of yet. But they were surrounded by those who knew the path, and had taken their own journeys. They were well protected, even if they didn't want to think of it like that. Maybe they would be lucky, with all of those around, to not come home with too many scars; scars that every journeyer gained.

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Hey everyone! It's me! Welcome to the sequel of the Twists of Fate! You're in for another journey. I already have it planned and mapped, so it may go a little faster then the last story. There shouldn't be two or three-month gaps between chapters, as I am firmly in a job now, and mainly rooted to one place. I see this tendency for me to write short first chapters. Anyone else notice? XD Anyway, I'm hoping it will go much like the other; where it gets better as the story goes along. I may rewrite this chapter later, so who knows! The ending is already set, and I'm sure you all aren't going to like me very much again. is already running from her lynch mob But yeah, so here it is! I told you I was working on it! I hope you're ready for another ride, and another adventure!

And you all know the drill by now. xD **PLEASE REVIEW!!**


	2. Letting Go

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**Chapter Two: Letting Go**

Story: Knots of Fate

By: Sky

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They had reached their destination that night, and had procured lodging for everyone, though they had to sleep in the same room. A large screen was put in place to divide the males from the females, but nobody minded. The Innkeeper was not really worried at the presence of the demons on his property. They were near the Western Lords Palace as it was, and many demons were around these parts. The Western Lord had made sure though, that no harm came to the humans on his land, so they did not fear the demons that arrived. In fact, many kitsune often came to a place like this one on their journey to the palace. The people of this small town, and the innkeeper had found that they were clean and very respectable customers, and they offered their own kind of protection. Even this close to the palace, there were still rouge demons that attacked humans. But now only the ill-informed or the idiotic ones ever attacked anymore, as they met with resistance and were constantly outnumbered by the demons that visited the town. If a demon had attacked the town once and had actually survived, it never did it again. Now this town thrived on business between demons and humans, with even a few demons, though they were mainly kitsune, living in town. As far as anyone knew, it was the only place of its kind.

The men were all shoed outside, with Guthrow and Yasha a constant guard on Miroku to make sure he didn't peak, despite his vehement protest on how they could think he could do anything of the sort, while the girl changed into their nightly attire. It was actually a rather pleasant experience for them, with the baby Shippo being passed between them all as each dressed for the night. For a while, he settled himself against Kagome, falling peacefully to sleep in her arms. No one wanted to awaken the sleeping babe, so he had stayed there with her, with the others smiling softly at the pair. Kagome wasn't sure about holding him, as she had never held a child before. But Aveatre kept reassuring her that she was holding him correctly, and that he wasn't going to fall.

Finally, when the girls were ready and the screen was firmly placed and supported between the sides, the girls called the boys in so that they could prepare themselves for bed, listening with smiles as Miroku protested Haruki and Guthrow beating him into the room and stationing themselves at the entrance of the screens so he didn't even have a chance to peek. Yasha watched the display as he just removed his shirt and hung it on a peg on the wall to let the sweat in it from the day dry. He couldn't understand why Miroku was constantly trying to peek on the women of the group. But then again, he was a lecherous thing, even though he wore those monks robes. Moving by the door, he settled down on the floor cross-legged; his back resting against the wall. His silver eyes watched the others as they moved around to settle in for the night. Haruki took the position nearest the screen, so he could spend some times with his mate without disturbing the other girls. Guthrow took a position near the door so he could keep watch, even though it wasn't likely there was going to be any attacks this close to the palace, and in this town. Yasha watched the others moving around him; just watching for a moment, before giving a small 'humph', and turning his attention back outside the door.

They rose early in the morning, packing their things together and leaving the Inn before anyone else was even stirring. The low plains in between mountains where they had spent the night was still in the shadow of the giants around it, and would be the last the feel the warmth of the sun that now rose in full glory over the lips of the mountains. It lit upon the group as they climbed up into the pass to arrive on the other side of the giants and find the path to start their journey. Sango wore her new kimono that she had acquired at the Palace, though Yasha could see her Exterminator garb underneath the top from time to time as she moved. He too wore his, as a precaution against when they were traveling in more unfriendly areas. He was sure Sango had noted it, for once as he was adjusting his shirt to hide it again, he caught her nodding her head in silent approval. The armor for the outfit rested comfortably in the satchel he carried.

On their own, once more, the group had broken into their sets of three; with Guthrow once more taking the lead and pacing beside Kagome and Yasha. He was a familiar presence at Yasha's side, which set the boy at a little more ease. Kagome's soothing presence also helped. Sango smiled as she watched the three before her walking. She was sure Yasha didn't even realize how much more relaxed he was when Kagome was around, and she was not one that was going to inform him of the fact. He'd just get defensive and try to show how 'tough' he was, and she'd have to kick his butt just to prove who was still stronger. Since he had just recovered once again from his wounds, she didn't think it would be wise to have to delay their journey just for that. So all she did was give a secretive smile that she dropped any time he turned around.

She would instantly sober though, when she thought about their journey ahead. In all of Japan, they had to find one demon, out of millions. Though, it helped that he had a few special skills that not many had. They had his name, knew of his ability to alter and change demon-kind, and that he wore a white baboon pelt to hid his identity. There couldn't be too many demons like that around.

"Oy, Sango," came a familiar voice from before her, and she turned to see Yasha dropping back a bit to walk beside she and the monk.

"What Yasha?"

"I've been meaning to ask. Why are you back in the West? Shouldn't you be up North or something? No that I'm complaining of having you in a fight."

Sango felt her chest tighten and her throat close. The memories were still too fresh, and too close to comfort for her. She couldn't tell him yet. She didn't have the heart, nor was she able to speak around her own grief. So for now, she would have to give him a white lie, for she did intent to come down soon and see how he was doing.

"Why, I had to make sure you hadn't gotten yourself killed yet, seeing what your track record is for wounds," she told him lightly, when she could speak again. She even managed an amused gleam as she pushed dark memories towards the back of her mind again, where she didn't have to think of them again for a time. Yasha rolled his eyes at her and made a rude noise, and didn't notice the strange looks from the other group members. Miroku didn't look at her, but Kagome and the other demons did. Their gazes told her quite firmly that they knew she was lying. They could tell. But they also knew that she hadn't told him for a reason, so they would keep it quiet themselves. Kagome gave her a slight nod, then looked forward again, along with Guthrow.

"I don't get that many. And mainly, it's saving her neck is how I receive them," Yasha commented, pointing a thumb at Kagome.

"Excuse me? Who's saving who?" Kagome retorted, turning to look at him with slightly narrowed eyes.

"I'm saving you," he shot back, arms over his chest in a unconscious movement showing he was being defensive. Which usually meant he was also about to get into an argument at least, and a brawl at worst, with someone. And it looked like it was going to be with Kagome this time.

"Well, if I remember this last time correctly, half the time I was saving you!" Sango inwardly winced at the returned barb. If there was one thing Yasha was touchy about, it was getting saved. Now there was really going to be a row. But before the next comment was issued, Haruki chimed in from the back.

"And as I understand it, you both had to be saved by Lord Sesshomaru." Two pairs of silver eyes turned death glares at the kitsune male in the back of the group, and he just shrugged his shoulders at the two. "I'm right, aren't I?" Both combatants turned away, and continued walking in silence down the road.

For most of the day, the journey continued in silence, until they heard a loud noise in the forest. As one, they turned to face what could be an oncoming foe; the Exterminators readying their weapons, and the demons readying their teeth and claws. Haruki instinctively stood in front of Aveatre to protect her and his son, while Kirara jumped off of Sango's shoulder, and transformed into her large demon-cat form. Yasha readied his old blade, and they stood in silence as the loud noise approached them quickly. As the creature creating the noise came into view and sunlight though, they saw it was none other then the black and white form of Yenshen. Yasha and the others relaxed, knowing there was no foe approaching, but Sango and Miroku, along with Kirara were still battle ready. They did not know that a friend approached.

"It's Yenshen," Yasha said aloud, and sheathed his blade for the other two to see. They turned confused gazes to him and his sheathed blade, then hesitantly put away their own weapons, though Miroku still had a firm grip on his golden staff. He didn't want to be caught unprepared, even though Yasha had verbally vouched for the approaching demon.

Yenshen finally cleared the forest, and landed on the path behind them; giving herself room to stop, and still keep the others from being covered in a cloud of road dust. Also as she landed, she gave a howl; causing everyone to cover their ears as it reverberated off the mountains, and back into the vally.

"There you are Kagome," she stated as she padded towards them, her eyes scanning everyone in the group as they uncovered their ears. She gave a small nod to Yasha, encompassing with him Guthrow and his other two companions, then gave a grin to Haruki and Aveatre. "We've been looking for you all morning. I didn't expect you to have crossed the mountains though."

"Why have you been looking for me? And this is the last direction that we saw Naraku leave in. Why wouldn't we go this direction?" Kagome answered back, looking up at the older female. Yenshen had not shrunk her from any, so Kagome didn't even come to the dog-demons elbows as a human. The dog-demon compensated for the height though by settling herself on the ground.

"You're fathers been worried that something had happened to you, so we were dispatched to find you and bring you home."

"As I told Guthrow, and as the scroll the Clansman should have found and delivered to him stated, I'm going on this journey as a representative. It is my place as an heir of the Western Land to be able to do this. Sesshomaru has his own agenda. This is an official group."

"Yes actually, we read that. But it would have been nice if you had come home and told your father in person."

"He never would have let me leave the palace," Kagome replied. As Yasha watched the battle of words, and sudden thought struck him, and he cleared his throat to interrupt the two.

"Yenshen, I'm sure if InuTaisho sent someone out to find his daughter, he would have sent the guards. So, what are _you_ doing here? Last time I checked, you were a servant." Kagome turned to face him, and Yenshen gave him a strange look, and then it dawned on her. He had disappeared right after the battle and had been gone for two years. He didn't know.

"After the battle in the South, and the journey there, we had lost several guards. I had proved myself, and InuTaisho raised my status to that of one of his personal guards. So yes, you are correct Yasha, he did send his guards out to find her." Yenshen smiled at the human boy, and took no offence to his statement. She had gained a respect for him on the journey South, and had even smuggled him his blades which he had remarkably forgotten, without a word or letting anyone else know it had happened. Not many humans would have taken the journey to the South, especially to rescue a demon. But he had proved his mettle on the journey, and he had never discriminated against her for her strange color, or for being the only female demon in the group. Karamina had been there, with Adarin, but they were Clansmen. In almost everyone's books, they didn't count as demons.

Yenshen remembered with great sadness the discovery of the two young Clansmen, their corpses decimated and skinned. They had been smart and intelligent, and very friendly. She was sure it was a great loss to the Clan, loosing two of their own so young, and then the wounded and dying Ari. Never had Yenshen seen so many Clansman in her life then when the young Clansman had been brought near the palace to be treated. They were a swarm of angry wasps, and she thanked every star that she was not the one they were after.

Yenshen perked her ears back as she heard another sound in the forest. She watched Kagome's small black ears twitch as well, and knew she recognized those footsteps. The Monk and the other companion tensed up again, but seeing that Yenshen hadn't moved, and Kagome hadn't made any motions of defense, they had relaxed again, though just barely. Yenshen wondered why they were so jumpy, but then again, noticing the weapon the female had, and the fact that it was made out of demon bone, marked her as an Exterminator, and they had to be a jumpy lot. Though, she had never heard of an Exterminator traveling with demons before.

She let the thought go as InuTaisho came up the path the Yenshen had created. Yenshen rose and bowed to the great Dog Lord, and made room for him on the road by stepping around the group, and settling on the open stretch of path before them. The great Dog-Lord slowed as he neared the rode, and changed; stepping onto the path in his clothed human form. Aveatre and Haruki quickly bowed to him, as did Guthrow. A moment later, Sango and Miroku followed, with a small nod from Yasha. Kagome watched as her father approached, and knew from his steps that he was not very happy with her.

"Kagome, what do you think you're doing out here? That demon is still lose, and you are in grave danger staying out here," he chided, stopping a few paces before her.

"Do you expect me to live in the palace all my life, never to leave from behind the walls?" she retorted, her gaze slightly shifting towards Yasha to give her encouragement. He just standing there was enough to give her the courage she needed to face her father, and at the moment to defy him.

"No, I do not, but it is not safe out here now. That demon has his eyes set for you Kagome, and I will not let anything happen to you. You are my only daughter. Sesshomaru can be the representative." Kagome shook her head.

"There's always going to be some danger outside of the walls. There's always going to be someone who wants to seize power from the family, and be cowardly enough to use children to try and obtain their goals. Don't forget father, I was dragged and gagged from home to the South, just because someone wanted to be included in the family's power and influence." She raised her wrist to him, showing the scar there from the first time the Velkir attacked. "I know the dangers. I bare a mark from the first that I encountered. Would you rather we sit bored in the castle while others try to fight my battles for me? I recall you did not like the years after the Southern incident, where I did just that; where I became something that would live in the palace and never leave. Do you really want me to become like that again?"

She watched her fathers eyes linger on the scar on his daughters wrist, and the golden depths darken slightly in sadness. It was hard to scar a demon, and it was the first she had ever gotten from a hostile attack. It was a visible reminder of the beginning of her growth from a naive child to a wary and defensive adult, like all who lived in such times. It saddened him to see her grow like that, but as every father knew, it had to happen at some point.

"You've always taught me to fight my own battles," she continued softly, as her father made no attempt to answer. "What type of child of yours would I be if I just sat inside a palace, and let others fight for me? Yes, I know I've gotten hurt, but he's never going to leave me alone if I hide behind my fathers walls. He'll always know where I am if I stay here, and he will never stop harassing us. At least traveling, he'll have to come find me, and I'll always be a step ahead of him. And it's not like I'm going alone."

Silver eyes turned to examine all of those around her. The pair of kitsune who met her eyes with intense green orbs, and nodded. The two Exterminators, who nodded back when her eyes met them. Guthrow, with his strange eyes and coat, who growled in agreement to her statement, and Yasha, who gave her a firm nod when her eyes turned to his.

"All those here father; all have been affected by this demon, either inadvertently or not. Two, like me, also bear scars from him." She motioned with her free hand to Yasha and Sango. "She was the first attacked by them, and he has been attacked with me countless times. You know. He's almost spent more time healing on our land then he's been out exploring it. Guthrow has had to keep watch because of that demon, and Aveatre and Haruki had to move out of the palace just to care for the injured Yasha. The sense of peace and security we once had has been damaged by this one demon. You would know father, you've been hurt by him too. Every time you see this scar he placed on me, it hurts you." There eyes finally met, and they locked for several moments, his eyes unsure and hers firm but pleading.

"Father, what type of woman am I to grow up as if hide behind my friends? If they are out there wounded and dying, while I am safely tucked inside the palace walls? I wouldn't be worthy of my name if I did that, and I am never going to know what type of person I can be, if I don't go; if I don't settle this battle for myself." She motioned to everyone again with her hand. "I trust them, and in some says you do too, or you never would have let them in or near the palace. I even have Guthrow, whom Karamina trusts. These are people who I've fought with, and against, but they have still stayed true. They have never abandoned me, or turned against me. I am in good hands." She rested her hands on the side of Taisho's face, and he turned to kiss the palm of the hand attached to the scarred wrist.

"Mother would never have hidden, nor would you, and neither will I. I will prove to you and everyone else that I am your daughter, and that I am a foe you wish not to deal with."

"You have nothing to prove to me Kagome," he whispered, causing everyone to turn away and pretend that they were intensely interested in the trees and foliage around them. Even Yasha turned away from the scene, though he would not let anyone know why. "And yes, your mother would have never run, and you are so much like her. But Kagome, this is dangerous. You may never come home." Worry colored his eyes, and Kagome reached forward and gave him a fierce hug.

"Sesshomaru is out there too father. We follow the same demon. I know our paths have to cross from time to time. If anything else, he will also watch out for me."

InuTaisho wrapped his arms firmly around his daughter, and held her tight, knowing that this might be the last time he ever held her. But she was also right. He had been trying to shield her for years because she was so much like her mother, and he had already lost her because of a man like Naraku. But she would never grow if she had to always stand in his shadow, and all dog-demons left home for a time, to grow and change into their adult selves. In a way, Kagome would never return to the Palace. Mainly a child left on this quest, and an adult would be the one to return. No more childish pranks or games. And it wouldn't be a forced change, like those two years after her abduction to the South, this would be the gradual one that all children faced, and all parents dreaded.

InuTaisho let her go, and turned away; his back to her and the others.

"Yasha," he called in a strong voice, not letting any of his emotion show. He heard the boy turn, and knew that he was being faced. "You've cared for her this long. I expect you to return her home in the condition she is in now." Then he strode away back into the forest, and changed back into his natural form. He could not say goodbye to her, for he did not want it to mean forever, and he could not watch them leave. It was hard enough that both his children were now out of the palace, and on a similar quest to find the demon terrorizing their family land. Even though he was saddened by her departure, he was proud of her. She was growing into a fine woman, and he found himself for the millionth time thankful that he had had the mate that he'd had. He heard Yenshen quickly follow him into the forest, and knew she would keep a respectful distance. She understood her Lord's mindset as only a female could, and knew that if anything at the moment he needed space, and he thanked her silently for it.

As InuTaisho traveled back towards the palace, with Yenshen pacing silently behind him, he sent a prayer up into the heavens, where he hoped a special someone would answer it.

_Iyanari, if there was ever a time she needed you, it is now. She is growing well, and is so much like you, that there is never a doubt she has some of your spirit in her. Keep her safe, and her travels far from danger. I will do my best to solve this mystery here so she can return home quickly. Both of the children have left my care, and they need your watchful eyes on them now._

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And here's the second chapter. :) you get to see a little more into Taisho here, and a little more Kagome too. As you can probably guess, there won't be quite as much of the Loveable InuTaisho in this story, because it's more going to be a journey of kagome and Yasha, with their companions and the dangers they're going to face. But don't worry, you're still going to see them from time to time. Along with Karamina and the gang.

RubysQuill- I bet there are some continuity errors. it took me a year and a half to get from the first chapter to the last, and with life in the middle... yeah, some things I forgot. If you can direct me to the chapters where it happens, I'll work on fixing them. :) And I would appreciate the help.

Thanks for the reviews I have already received! It's great to see new, as well as familiar faces! I hope to still see you all around! And like always, for everyone else, please **REVIEW**!!

-Sky


	3. First Encounters

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**Chapter Three: First Encounters**

Story: Knots of Fate

By: Sky

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Two nights out of the town, the group encountered their first rouge demon. It was a snake demon, and wasn't much of a challenge, especially with the experienced fighters that had made up the group.

"You have trespassed on my territory," the snake hissed, as it curled around the bridge that the group had been trying to cross over a small river. Three golden eyes, set in a triangle on its forehead, shown with a gleam of malice. Littered in the shallows of the river were the bones of oxen and other animals that had tried to come near, and had been caught by the snake demon. Around one set of bones, a rope could be seen tied around a bone neck, indicating that it was once a cow owned by a farmer. But thankfully, no human bones could be seen anywhere nearby.

"I give ya until the count of three the move your butt of the bridge, or I'll remove it for you," remarked Yasha, pushing up the sleeves of his new shirt. Sango knew from experience that Yasha rolled up his sleeves when he was ready to find himself in an all-out brawl. The snake-demon just laughed at him, and attacked with a quick jab; mouth wide open to show many teeth and its two long sharp fangs. But years of training with Hashba and the other Exterminators had quickened his step, and he dodged out of the way of the attack; drawing his blade and slicing as he flung himself backwards. The snake reeled back as one of his fangs was cut cleanly off, and clattered to the bridge below. Sango took the opportunity, while the snake was distracted, to send her boomerang flying at the creature. So intent was the snake on the loss of its fang that it did not see the boomerang heading it's direction in a graceful ark, and it was only as it felt the approaching breeze the weapon created did it turn to look, but it was already too late.

Hiraikotsu arched smoothly through the air and cleaved the head of the snake from the body, before sailing back toward the waiting hand of Sango. To stop the momentum of the spinning weapon, she tilted the weapon so that it would twirl around her as she exerted her strength to stop the momentum that it had gained when she had thrown it. Sango kept her arm held high over her head, so that the edge of the boomerang only grazed the ground enough to raise dig a small circular pattern around her, and raise a small dust-cloud in it's wake. Only one rotation around her was needed to stop the large boomerang, and she looked please as she had been able to stop the weapon even before the snake had begun to fall; the life leaving its body.

"Well, that's one down," remarked Sango smoothly as she turned to see where Yasha had landed, only to see out of the corner of her eye the expression of the demon companions.

Kagome's mouth was open, and her eyes wide as she continued to watch the snake fall to the bridge and twitch for several moments before finally laying completely still, and moving no more. Haruki and Aveatre looked between she and the snake, several times, before their eyes finally settled on her; astonishment written plainly in their features. Guthrow just stood there looking thoughtful.

"What?" she asked, turning fully to the demons while Yasha made his way back from the bank of the river where he had landed.

"That… was fast," commented Kagome, with her eyes still fixed on the snake.

"Astonishingly so," replied Haruki, examining the weapon that Sango held. Aveatre could only nod her assent to what Haruki had said.

"They have never actually seen an Exterminator work," Guthrow supplied when it seemed the other three would say no more. Sango turned her full attention to him, and he met her eyes with his own multi-colored orbs. "They've heard stories and such, about how quickly and how well an Exterminator can kill a demon, but they've never seen it. They've never had to."

"I didn't know it could move like that," stated Haruki as his eyes traveled from Hiraikotsu to Sango as she turned to face him. "I thought it was some lumbering weapon, but I see when it's in action, it's not lumbering at all."

"That was amazing," came a reply from Kagome, as she finally tore her gaze from the body of the snake. "No wonder my father has respect for your kind. I never would have thought it possible for a human to take out a demon with that type of weapon. Mind you, it was a weaker demon, but all the same. You finished it off so quickly, I didn't even have time to react!" Which had been the truth. Kagome was just preparing herself to defend the dodging Yasha when Sango had thrown her mighty weapon, and felled the demon.

"Well, erm, I'm glad I got to show you how it works," replied Sango, patting Hiraikotsu with her free hand. Without another word, they all headed to cross the bridge, and stepped around the body of the large snake demon, with Yasha picking up the severed tooth as a trophy, to continue on their quest. That night, in a forest clearing, they set up camp, and spent the night under a clear sky sprinkled with millions of stars. Sango kept her gaze up and away from the fire, watching the silent flickers of light that they made upon the dark sky; all the while murmuring to herself the names of constellations. Yasha took a long glance, and then went back to sharpening the old blade that lay in his lap. It was the blade he had brought with him to this world; this time. It had seen its share of battles, and it had saved his life many times. He wasn't going to retire it until the day he absolutely had to. And now in his pack, he had the fang of the snake. Sango had some herbs in it to neutralize the poison of the snake, and then it would be hollowed out even more, and a cap made for it so he could use it as a water bottle to hold his water for the journey. Yasha had to admit, though only to himself and very reluctantly, that it was a good idea and a practical way for him to be able to keep his prize.

Halfway into the next day, just as the sun reached its zenith, they ran into their next opponent. It was a spider demon, who had its webs spread throughout a section of forest; catching all manner of prey, which included villagers and their livestock. Once again Sango showed her prowess with the boomerang, while the others worked at freeing the enslaved. Miroku helped her with the spider; using his golden staff to break the creatures legs at the tender joints, leaving it immobilized and easy to finish off quickly. The freed villagers were so grateful for their help, they offered to house the entire group, and feed them that night for their work. They had discussed it amongst themselves, and agreed to finally go, and made their way to Satori village.

Most of the inhabitants were wary at first of the strangers, but when the newly freed villagers told them of their deeds, and how the demons were pets of the Exterminators, they eased around them. Kagome turned red to her ears at being referred to as a 'pet'. Kirara mewled happily and stayed as her cute smaller self, Aveatre and Haruki decided to play along, and Guthrow wore an expression one might find on the face of a big friendly (but not too intelligent) dog. He played with the children of the village, who were bold enough to try and play, and made sure to never even accidently harm any of them. Kagome stormed off to sit outside the village in a tree, brooding still over being called a pet.

It was later on in the evening, after the meal had been served and rooms arranged, that Yasha just happened to decide to take a walk in the direction that Kagome had headed. He found her high in the limbs of a tree, with arms crossed and staring off into the forest. He leaned against the trunk, taking a large bite out of an apple, and looked the same direction as she; not really looking for anything in the forest, since he knew he probably wasn't going to see it anyway. For many moments, they stayed like that, before Kagome growled slightly.

"What do you want?" she growled, turning angry silver eyes down towards him. Yasha didn't meet her gaze and shrugged, throwing the remaining apple core into the trees.

"Nothin'." Yasha then turned on heel, and went back into the village, and headed into his room for the night. Kagome watched him go, then turned to look back into the forest, her eyes searching for something she was sure was not there. After getting tired of finding nothing, she came down off the top branches, and headed inside to where the others slept. The room once more was divided with a screen, and the boys were nearest the door. She thought that the humans would have been asleep by now, but they were sitting together at the side of the room, with Yasha cleaning his blade, and Sango watching Miroku as he cleaned the spider residue off of his staff. She had already cleaned the Hiraikotsu, and it gleamed from the position it rested in on the back wall. Aveatre walked around the room with a small tray and offered tea to everyone, while Haruki kept the fire in the small oven-stove at the side of the room going, as well as watched his son.

Kagome stood beside the door as she watched all of this; her eyes resting briefly on Sango, and then to the large demon-bone boomerang resting against the wall. She now understood a bit more about the Exterminators, and why her father tried so hard to stay on their good side. Not that such a simple weapon would able to defeat him, but just that one weapon could make inroads in an arms; serious inroads that could very well turn the tide of battle. And that was only one Exterminator with her weapon. She couldn't image a whole force of them. A phrase that Karamina had told her, in a time now that seemed so long ago, slipped into Kagome's mind. It was when she and her mentor had first come across the scent of the Exterminators, and Karamina had told her to remember it.

"Exterminators leave us well enough alone, if we leave them alone," Karamina had cautioned her, as Kagome had sniffed around the scented area that the Clansman had wanted her to memorize. "But on both sides, there are those who do not like the other. Therefore, we are always cautious when approaching or dealing with one. Many are friendly enough, but you can never be too careful around them. For with them, you must always keep the thought foremost in your mind; they were born and bred to kill our kinds. And the fact that there are some thriving Exterminator villages means they're_ very_ good at it."

Kagome made her way back to a place behind the divider, and sat down; her mind still focused on an army of Exterminators. If all of them banded together, and if even half of them were like Sango, there would be no stopping them. They would rule the lands, and the demons would be extinct, or slaves. She never did really understand what there was to fear from Exterminators until now, as she had seen Sango use her mighty weapon to quickly fell not one demon, but two. And she wasn't even winded. Yasha had never been too bad with a blade, and he had gotten much quicker then she last remembered from before he left. This was helped by the fact that he was finally completely healed. Scars marred his back, but they did not pain him, nor was there any red beneath the surface to show that they were still in the process of healing. They were done, and now he was showing what he had learned in the two years he had been gone. And she had to wonder what else he had learned from them. When she had first met him, he had been nothing more then a trainee. Was he now finally a full-fledged Exterminators? Is that why he had come all the way to the Western Lands, to hunt? But the way that Sango still seemed to coach him, and the way she was constantly backing up his attacks, made her think otherwise. He was more skilled, but he was not one completely. Yet.

Kagome shook her head, her ears flattening at the thought, as she had to remind herself that he was an Trainee Exterminator. There could never be anything between them, because he was going to be a hunter of her kind. There was no possibility. But Sango had Kirara, who was a full-fledged demon, and she was an Exterminator. Though she had never seen it, the pair supposedly worked together rather well, which was why she still had the demon cat. Maybe a human-like demon, and an Exterminator could work the same way. Or if she had to, she could stay in her dog form constantly.

With another shake of her head, Kagome pushed her thought to the back of her mind. This was no time to be thinking like this. They had more pressing and urgent matters to attend to. But the thought of Exterminator villages still came into her mind, and she decided to sate that curiosity so maybe she could go to bed.

"Sango, may I ask you something?" she finally said, her ears twitching in irritation at herself. She could sense a silence in the room as all ears were turned to her question. The female Exterminator turned, her chocolate hair flowing like silk through the air, and he soft chocolate-brown eyes meeting her own sterling silver orbs. There was a little confusion in her brown eyes, and a general interest.

"Sure. What do you want to know?" Kagome shifted a little bit, unsure if the other would answer her. They weren't really friends yet, and she was asking a question she wasn't sure of.

"How many people are in your village? Karamina told me a bit about them, an Exterminators village, but can there really be that many Exterminators in one place?"

Sango's expression changed from the lively chocolate colored with interest and confusion to a dull brown that just spoke of pain and suffering. Kagome wondered what she had said as she watched Sango turn her head from her, when Yasha piped up from the other side of the divider.

"Village is right. There are many people there. Even children. We have a blacksmith, farms, you name it. Momiji is a thriving place. Guthrow could tell you. He was there, I remember."

"I was only on the outskirts of the village. Just close enough for the patrols to find me," commented Guthrow, his voice low as he sensed the tension in the air that Kagome's question brought. The Monk, and the Slayer, were both silent; with eyes downcast. Yasha seemed oblivious to what was going on, but the two kitsune had picked up on it.

"Speaking of Momiji, we should go back there. It would be a great place to resupply. And I would really like to see the boys again."

"Yasha," started Guthrow, watching Sango's head bow a bit more. "We're demons. I don't think that's such a good idea. I don't think a village of Exterminators would like a group of demons being so close to their home."

"Sango and I can vouch for you. I'm sure Hashba and the others would listen to us." He turned to Sango, but she said not a word, and nor did Miroku. Yasha just shrugged it off, and turned back to Guthrow. "You were there once before, and Sango and I have proven ourselves." Yasha lifted his chin with pride at the fact that he had earned the trust of several boys; boys that had traveled with him all the way to the West. He wouldn't admit it, but he really wanted to see them again. They were the closest things to friends that he had ever had. Guthrow shook his head again.

"I don't think that…" He was stopped in mid-sentence by Sango raising her hand to stop him. He looked at the Exterminator quizzically. Her eyes were still downcast, and her bangs had loosed themselves from where she had pushed them behind her ears, to create a chocolate curtain that made them harder to see. Though he knew that they were closed.

"I think we need to head to Momiji. No one will stop you, and Yasha has some people he needs to talk to." She never raised her head through the entire time she talked, and her voice was nearly monotone. Yasha once again didn't catch these things as he nodded towards her.

"It's settled then. We head for Momiji in the morning."

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Well, here we go again. xD Hi everyone. It's me. Hope you're enjoying the story so far. A few of you remember what I said in the last story about how I can plan the story one way, and it decides as I'm typing it to go another. Well, it's doing it again. My outline and what's being typed... aren't coinciding too well. :) Once more, the story has taken a life of it's own. If the first few chapters have been kind of slow for you, you won't guess what I have planned next. xD It's continuing on it's merry way, and we're about to head North. What is the group going to find there? well, you'll have to read and find out. winks And as always, please, **REVIEW!!**


	4. Heading North

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Chapter Four: Heading North**

_Story: Knots of Fate_

By: Sky

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Sesshomaru momentarily stopped near a stream in his journey to quench his thirst. Though, he could barely stomach the water. The scent of the demon Naraku was here. It was everywhere he traveled, for he could not forgive the creature the insult that it had caused his family, nor the damages he had done to Kagome. He growled to himself, just thinking about it. Kagome had a scar on her wrist because of his attempts at altering the Velkir. It would forever be a reminder that he, Sesshomaru, could not even protect his sister while she was in the Western Land. But the demon Naraku would find out for himself what the cost was for causing insult to the Taisho Clan.

A breeze came from the North then, and he could taste the water and wind on it. There was a storm coming, and it was going to be a bad one. He, Sesshomaru, might even have to find a place to shelter from it, if his senses were correct. He growled again, at the thought of another delay in his continuing search for Naraku. Though, no matter what weather came, or what other disaster happened, he vowed to never stop until the demon was dead.

**oOoOoOoOoOoOo**

Sango spoke not a word that morning as they packed. Nor as they left Satori village behind them; their feet finding the road that would lead them North. And as if in respect for her silence, the rest of them traveled the same way. Even young Shippo did nothing more then mewl when he was hungry, and slept the rest of the time. About mid-day, Miroku had tried some of his old pranks to try and get her into a better mood. He flirted with any female that passed by them, young or old, and his hand found it's way to grope her. She said not a word as he flirted; the others were the ones that dragged him away, and she smacked him half-heartedly as he groped here, but she didn't even threaten him, or clobber him with Hiraikotsu. And that worried him even more.

He had been silent last night as he'd heard Yasha talk about Momiji. He'd had a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach about the village, especially since the day he'd met Sango on the road. They had separated for a short bit of time. She had gone to the village, and he had gone off to exterminate a scorpion-demon that had been terrorizing a village to the East. It had been a rather rough battle, and he had been marked, though thankfully not poisoned, but he had triumphed in the end. After resting a few days, he headed back towards Momiji, looking forward to seeing his friends, and lounging around for about a week as he finished recovering from his wounds. Three days from the village, he met Sango.

She was downcast, and covered head to toe in dirt. Her hair was in a loose braid, though strands had worked their way loose from it, and she looked as though she hadn't slept in days. Hiraikotsu's tip left a tiny furrow in the ground behind her, for she didn't even lift it far enough for it to clear the earth. He quickened his pace towards her, concern written all over his features, and stopped before her, asking her what was wrong. She didn't stop moving, and instead was close enough that when she did stop, she leaned forward and rested her head on his shoulder. And that caused him even more alarm then her appearance. Something was terribly wrong.

He looked around, and spied Kirara along the road side. She had been following Sango like a shadow. As soon as she spotted him though, she ran over, taking an enormous leap, and landed lightly on his shoulder; nuzzling him and curling onto his shoulder, and digging tiny claws into the fabric of his robes like she never wanted to leave. He asked her what was wrong, and Sango looked up at him then, and gave him a sad smile.

"Hashba wants us to go meet up with Yasha to see how he's doing."

"We should go to the village first, and get rested for the journey…." His voice trailed off though as Sango shook her head.

"No, he wants us to go now. We'll rest up in the next village." And ever since then, whenever Momiji was mentioned, she became quiet and recalcitrant. All he could guess was something had happened. So he respected her choice of being silent, and didn't speak of it anymore. They had caught up to Yasha again as he was battling the even more altered Velkir, his steps faltering, and blood evident everywhere upon him. Sango had not hesitated a moment to loose her boomerang into the action. And Miroku was happy to see Sango acting so lively again. It had been a great relief. And she had been even more so, after discovering that Yasha was infact one of her kin. Though, to Miroku, that explained a lot about Yasha. He was build and was just made like an Exterminator. So to find out that he had the bloodlines of one just made sense. Now, however, that they were on their way North, Sango was as quite and downcast as she had been before.

Yasha, however, seemed to be getting a little more excited each day; with each step in fact, that brought them closer to the northern village. He wouldn't admit it though. He was after all, Yasha. Kagome and the others just watched as he fidgeted a little more each day, impatient to reach Momiji, an to see his friends. He often wondered how they were doing; what lessons Hashba or one of the other Exterminators was teaching now, what type of meal they had today…. Just many little things, but things that he missed.

Their journey was delayed though when a week into their journey, a thunderous storm raged; trapping them all in a dense thicket. High winds tore at the trees, and ripped many of the branches bare of leaves. Lightning arched across the sky in such vast webs, they temporarily made the storm-gray night as bright as day. And the next day, it continued the same way. The entire group had separated themselves to bunker down under several large tress; each group having a rain cloak to try and protect them from the worst of the stinging rain that made it's way through the tree-branches.

The demons were spread amongst the humans, save for Aveatre, Haruki and Shippo, who had their own tree to themselves; Aveatre holding Shippo protectively in her arms, while Haruki held her protectively in his, and keeping the cub between them. Kirara was with Sango and Miroku, but in her larger form. Both Exterminators huddled to her side for warmth, and for protection from the wind. Kirara constantly looked from the humans to the angry sky, and growled at it fiercely as if telling it how angry she was for causing her humans to suffer. Guthrow was with Kagome and Yasha, once more proving warmth for the two young ones. They lay on either side of him at the moment, having just quarreled.

Kagome had had the great idea to shift into her true form, and that had been a rather bad choice. As she had been shifting, she had not adjusted her size, and had knocked the tree with her large form as she had tried to lay down. Not only had she hung out from under the branches and had gotten even more wet, any drop of water that was on the branches and what was held by the remaining leaves had come crashing down on them; soaking the rain cape through and making it just about utterly useless, and them getting chilled from the wind. Yasha had told her how stupid she was as she became a human again, and she'd flattened her ears and started yelling back at him. Guthrow had quickly instigated himself into the battle to end it quickly, and now the pair was separate and laying on either side; shivering from not having a combined body heat.

Though they were miserable and wet, Guthrow couldn't help but try and keep from grinning. For, what course language and complaints he heard softly coming from side Yasha was on, were also coming from the side Kagome was on. That boy was rather having an effect on Kagome it seemed. She was picking up several of his habits, though she didn't seem to realize it. He had to wonder what her father would think now of his daughter, and the language she had acquired.

As they suffered in relative silence, Haruki came out of the curtain of rain and stopped under the boughs of their tree, shaking himself slightly as he looked up at the three miserable occupants.

"We thought we heard something. What happened?" He looked them up and down, as amused look came to Guthrows eyes as he met his gaze. When he turned to the gazes of the others, he saw anger.

"Kagome decided to be _intelligent _and try and transform under this tree. She dumped all the water on us," shot out Yasha his silver eyes turned to meet the sterling silver ones of Kagome.

"Well, _Sorry-e_ for trying to find a way to protect you better from the wind. I'll just let you freeze to death next time," came her reply.

"It would be better that way. At least I wouldn't be soggy wet." Guthrow sighed and shook his head, then shrugged as he met Haruki's gaze. Kagome bristled.

"Well, you ungrateful…. How dare you! At least I was trying. It's not like I planned to get us all drenched!"

"Well you should have known it would happen!"

"How could I have!"

"You just should have!"

"You're being unreasonable!"

"No I'm not!"

"Yes you are!"

"It was a good try, though it didn't work out well," Guthrow commented dryly, ignoring the pair behind him. "We're fine here, if not a little chilled. Go back to your mate and son. We'll see you when the storm breaks." Haruki nodded to Guthrow, understanding that the other was trying to keep him from being in the rain too long, and to keep him from being pulled into the battle. He nodded in agreement, and headed back into the rain.

"See you when the storm breaks." Guthrow heaved a heavy sigh at the fact he got stuck with the two pups. He instantly tuned back into the argument when Kagome leapt to her feet, eyes flashing with anger. Before turning around and dashing the opposite way Haruki had taken, and into the rain, she screamed "Jerk!" He turned to Yasha, who had also risen, and watched as the boy walked to the trunk of the tree, punched it, and then sat down next to it; his arms folded across his chest and his nose held high. Guthrow couldn't help but shake his head. Those pups seemed to love to fight. They were constantly at it. He wasn't too afraid for Kagome. She had a good head about her. She was out in the rain, but she wouldn't go far enough to get lost. And if she didn't return on her own in about half an hour, he would go out to find where she had holed up for the storm.

**oOoOoOoOoOoOo**

Kagome had finally stopped running when she had found a large tree to sit under. _Stupid Yasha_ she though even as she continued crying. He made her so mad sometimes! Her ears could not flatten anymore against her skull, and all she could do was sit back against the tree and continue crying. At least here he could not find her. Here, she didn't have to worry about him finding her in tears. Nor Guthrow for a little while. He at least knew that she wasn't stupid, and his words had helped sooth the hurt that she felt a little bit. She hadn't really meant to drench them. She had just wanted to try and protect Yasha a little more from the rain, since she could feel him shiver from how close they were sitting. No matter what she did, it just never seemed to be good enough, and that made her feel even worse.

As she finally finished crying, she caught herself yawning, and he left her head to rest on her folded arms. She would take just a little nap before she headed back. They wouldn't miss her for a little bit anyway, and she was tired. She would have thought differently about the nap though, if she had known that she was being watched.

**oOoOoOoOoOoOo**

Red eyes watched as the girl ran away from the group, and he couldn't help but laugh to himself. She had neatly separated herself from them, and with the storm, as long as he stayed downwind, he could not be scented, and was even harder to see. The fury of the falling rain had even masked his movements, so that they didn't know that he was so close to them. He watched his prize head away, and moved to follow her.

His attempts to gain her through Jath're'ka had not succeeded, but at least it had brought her near enough that he could see her; the prize of the Western Lands. Guthrick had handled the boy cub well; raising him to believe that he deserved Kagome as a mate. And until he had gotten cocky, the plan was working out well. Naraku shrugged. Just one pawn that he didn't have to dispose of himself anymore. Guthrick was out hunting up a new prospect, and finding a place to hide them, for he knew that the brother was out searching as well.

He had only made himself known because he knew of the 'honor' the dogs had in defending their families and themselves. He knew one of the Taisho clan would leave the palace to come find him, and he was going to catch the pursuer and bring it over to his side. Sesshomaru would prove to be a challenging target, but his eyes were only for Kagome now. Raven locks clung to her shoulders as she ran, and her ears were laid back so flat that it could not be seen that she had them. Tears streaked down her cheeks, though they mingled with the rain, and he could hear her sniffles in the wind. This was her in her height of perfection. Her misery was intoxicating, and he wanted more of it. He wanted to see his beautiful Kagome cry.

When she finally stopped, it was under another enormous tree, and she sat down under it, with her knees drawn up to her chest, and her head resting on her folded arms. He longed to go down there, to taste her tears, and know the sweetness of their salty flavor. To see her draw back from him in fear, for fear made her silver eyes cloud and become even more beautiful. He kept his temptations at bay though, as he took his pleasure in watching her shoulders shake as she sobbed. Finally, as the girl started nodding off, tiring herself out from crying, he had an idea. Kagome would beg to come find him, and that was when he would make her his own. With that thought in mind, he waited; red eyes glowing with intense pleasure as her head nodded against her arms.

When she was finally asleep, he made his way slowly down to her, making sure that he did not wake her from her exhausted slumber. Oh yes, she would come to him, and beg for his help, and he would torture his sweet Kagome into submission, and claim her as his for all eternity. But first, he had to have her need him so badly.

When he stood not a foot before her, a clawed hand extended from beneath the baboon pelt, and rested scant inches above her head. He longed to toy with those perfect ears of hers, to slowly pierce them with his claws and watch her red blood stain her ears and his claws. But it wasn't yet time. He turned to look behind him, and slowly from the forest came one of his finest creations.

It had been such a scared little creature when he had caught it many moons ago. A small black velkir that had the most perfect black wings. It would have been thrown in with one of his other experiments, if in it's urge to get away from him, it hadn't shown him its true power. He had found himself losing his demonic power, and the small creature in his arms had seemed to be gaining them. It had not been able to take enough of his strength though to be able to break away before he had struck the creature behind the ears and rendered it unconscious. It was then that he had discovered that he himself had been unconscious. The creature had somehow managed to be rendered unconscious without his knowing, and his dreams were made to resemble the real world. The small creature had been stealing his power in his dreams, and thus she had unlimited access to it. When he had rendered it unconscious, its power had been broken. He did not know such fragile creatures had retained such powers.

He had carefully experimented with it; breeding it with another that had similar power, and altering the offspring, but never managing to breed in what the mother contained. So, he instead altered her, putting what he had learned from her other kin into her. What resulted from it was no longer a shy creature that he had captured, but his very own hunter and assassin. She could find you in your dreams, and kill you in the most creative way she could manage; torturing you for hours, or even years if she felt like it. Though, for the waking world, it was only several minutes. And as a treat, she would now bring him with her on these torturous killing sprees. Naraku lovingly called her Yajyuu Musouka; Dreamers Beast. None of his other velkir creations had names, so it marked her high up for her status.

She gave a dark purr as she neared him, rubbing her head along his side, before looking down at the dark-haired girl that sat sleeping before her. Such a fragile thing.

"Do not harm her Musouka. I want her well alive and intact. Though, there is something you may do for me with her, and I know you will find it pleasurable." He cackled darkly, and Musouka's mismatched eyes gleamed with savage glee as he explained to her what it is that he wanted. She nodded assent to him, and then she took a step forward; her paw landing delicately on the earth. Her eyes kept focused on the girl as she sniffed at her, taking in her scent, and closing her eyes. Oh, what fun she would have if she could only play with this girl. But her master would be mad if she caused her too much harm.

Extending her raven-black wings, she held them to out to help exert her power of the girl. In her shadow, this girl, this Kagome, was under her control. And with her shadow laying over her, Kagome sighed in her sleep, and rolled her head forward; exposing her neck. Perfect. Making sure that the girl stayed in her shadow, Musouka moved her head close to the back of Kagome's neck, grabbed it in her teeth, and bit hard, causing Kagome, even in her sleep, to scream.

* * *

Hello. It's me again. I know. Some of you probably thought that I abandoned this story. Nope, I was just catching up on my reading a bit, though I might still get some inconsistencies. Just let me know and I'll fix them. I think I've finally caught my muse again, or at least maybe a wing or leg. I'm reeling in the rest of it though. Sorry to those who have had to read my first three chapters. I'm trying to fix them so that they don't sound so... museless?

Oh, and yes, this is a Kagome/InuYasha pairing. I'm just not going about it in the way of hate eachother/like eachother/fall in love/make babies, all in about four chapters. Hopefully, you all have seen a change in them from the first story, how they've grown closer (though they still argue. Will they _Never_ learn?). So yes, they are the main pair of this story. Just thought I'd clarify that. And of course there are other pairings as well. Well, anyway, off to the next chapter!

P.S. REVIEW please! I really do read them!

P.S.S. For those were were reading chapter four and it suddenly dissapeared, I'm Sorry! I was working on it and my cat walked over the keyboard and deleted it. I had to upload it again.

Next Chapter:

**Chapter Five: The Loss of Kagome**


	5. The Loss of Kagome

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* * *

Chapter Five: The Loss of Kagome**

_Story: Knots of Fate_

By: Sky

* * *

Guthrow watched Yasha as he continued to sulk next to the tree, and shook his head. Whatever would he do with this boy? Guthrow was all too surprised that he had survived through this stage of life himself. Looking at how broody Yasha was, he was surprised that Karamina hadn't killed him. He was rather surprised that he hadn't taken out either pup yet himself. He understanding that they were still young, and that this was just part of the growing process, helped a bit. But it didn't make them any less aggravating. But he supposed that he was just going to have to deal with it until the boy grew out of it.

They sat in total silence, letting the wind and rain whip around them. Guthrow sighed, and was about to engage Yasha in conversation, when something came over the air. It wasn't a scent, or a physical thing. It was a feeling; like a chill up the spine, and it continued to intensify with every heartbeat. Guthrow turned to Yasha, and noticed the boy was half-risen from the ground. One leg was bent before him, while the other was still resting with the knee on the ground. It would be easy for the boy to spring into a run from that position. One hand also rested on the hilt of his blade, and his silver eyes were intensely focused on the forest, the expression in his eyes like that of a cat that watched a meandering mouse nearby. His frame was as rigid as a tree, and Guthrow knew that whatever it was, Yasha sensed it as well.

The pair didn't twitch a muscle as the feeling crested over both of them, then stayed at a point that would have made most panic; the urgency and the dream contained in the feeling making it hard to breath. And as it crested, Guthrow suddenly got the feeling that he knew where it came from. It was a feeling that something was wrong with Kagome. And he became more certain when, from one heartbeat to the next, Yasha moved from where he knelt, and moved fluidly into the pouring rain to disappear; Guthrow silently slipping after him.

**OoOoOoOo**

Haruki made his way back through the pouring rain to the tree that sheltered his mate and son. Never in his memory had there been a day with so much rain falling, and so thick, that one could not see. And then to add the raging wind; it turned the rain into small needles that drove into your flesh. All they could do is hide from the wrath of it, and pray that it would end soon. He mulled over the encounter he'd just had with Guthrow and the two 'pups' and couldn't help but feel grateful for the older male giving him a quick excuse to retreat. There seemed to be nothing Yasha and Kagome liked more then fighting. They were constantly at it in one way or another, and they never seemed to get tired of it. Guthrow was known for being very patient, which was probably why he was still with the two. Anyone else would have taken them both out by now. He drew near the tree his mate was under, but then deviated to the tree the Exterminators and Kirara sheltered under. They had heard the noise as well. They would want to know what was happening as well.

He broke through the subtly lightening curtain of rain, and fully viewed the sakura tree the Exterminators were under. It was in a sad state, as the branches were drenched through with the water from the storm, and angled towards the ground like a willow might. Many of the leaves were gone, and all of the buds had been ripped from the branches. Not even the petals were left upon the ground to show the tree had once been in full bloom. The rain cape lay fastened to the branches nearest them to protect them as best it could. The two humans and the fire cat lay as close as they could to the base of the tree, and looked utterly miserable. Haruki couldn't blame them. He was kitsune and he felt cold. He couldn't imagine what they felt, though they were lucky to have the fire cat.

Kirara bared her fangs at him, causing the others to tense, but ceased immediately when she saw that it was him. The wind did not do well for detecting things where she sat, and he knew that she would rather be safe then sorry, and he couldn't blame her for her vigilance. He was doing the same thing with his mate when he was with her. He made his way quickly under the rain cape, though he couldn't shake as he did at the other camp. The humans would most certainly not appreciate it.

"What as that?" asked Sango, referring to loud cracking sound that had echoed through the thicket, followed by a sound of rushing water; all heard over the deafening sound of wind and rain.

"Oh, nothing serious in all actuality. Kagome decided to shift and try to protect Yasha from getting even more wet then he was. She didn't change her size though, and bumped the tree, sending all the collected rain down on them." He could help but smile as the pair winced in sympathy. It wasn't exactly a warm rain. "It's not that bad. Yasha and Kagome are arguing again, and they all looked a little drenched. Guthrow was still in good humor, so the fight couldn't have been going on that long." Sango sighed.

"Will those two ever stop?" Miroku chucked from beside her.

"Well, look at the bright side. Their communicating efficiently, especially when it comes to Yasha."

"Yeah, and it gives the rest of us headaches." Haruki kept quiet, for though he found the arguments exasperating, he had been there to see Kagome turn her thoughts inward and hide behind the 'lady' mask she had for the two years that Yasha had been gone. He was rather pleased to see her animated and half-tamed again. It meant that she was feeling like her old self, and there was nothing bad there. And the fact that Yasha had caused her to revert back in such a short amount of time, caused him to smile. Kagome really did like her Exterminator.

"Go back to your mate and cub Haruki," Miroku remarked, after silently laughing at Sango's remark. "From the sound of it, they will survive without our aid, and you are getting rather soaked."

"I am feeling rather drenched, yes," Haruki replied with good humor to the Exterminator. "But I would like to be getting back to the warmth of the den, and my mate."

"Yes, I bet she is rather warm," Miroku remarked, with a knowing gleam in his eye. Sango sighed in annoyance, and Haruki knew what followed _that_ sigh, so he turned quickly and battled his way back through the storm. Even the fury of the storm could not muffle the sound of the hard 'smack' that Sango

He made his way back through the storm, hopefully for the last time until it broke. He had not only gone to check on the noise that had come from the direction of the 'pups' camp, he was also checking on supplies, at his mates insistence. What he had found showed that they had at least a few days of provisions each. They weren't going to starve, especially after Yasha and Kagome cooled off and dried off, and shared their meals. With his task complete, he arrived under one of the large oak branches that made up their temporary den, and shook vigorously; removing all the water that he could from his clothes and tail, before stepping under their own rain cape and into the small camp. A small ball of foxfire lit the underside, and showed Aveatre feeding Shippo. Already, the pup was working on squishy but solid food, and would not need the meals from his mother. And Haruki knew Aveatre would miss it. She smiled up at him in pure joy; oblivious to the raging storm outside, and he smiled back, moving behind her and sitting so that her back rested upon his chest. His hand rested on her arm, and he reached out a sharp-clawed finger for the cub to wrap his chubby little hand around. Haruki found children fascinating; how something so small could grow into an adult, and how you could watch them change. Shippo's hair was starting to grow, and his tail was starting to fluff a bit. Another change had taken place, but it really didn't matter to them. They were together, as they should be.

The tranquility of the family was broken when a sudden wave of unease washed over them. Shippo stopped feeding and started to cry in distress. Aveatre tried to sooth him, but she was also affected by it. Haruki placed a hand comfortingly on her cheek, before rushing back into the rain, and heading in the direction that the 'feeling' came from. He was disturbed to discover that it was coming from the direction of the pup's camp, and quickly made his way over to see what was happening. When he arrived under the tree, he found the camp deserted, though when he placed a hand against the tree, it was still warm. They must have just left.

He was torn between wanting to follow them, and going back to his mate and cub, but he knew he couldn't leave his mate unprotected. His decision was made for him though when Sango and Miroku slipped out of the rain into the abandoned camp. Sango wore her black garb, and Miroku wore a serious expression. Kirara came a moment after them, and surveyed the camp. Three pairs of eyes turned to examine the muddy footprints that were quickly disappearing out in the rain.

"Go back to Aveatre," Miroku curtly told him, though Haruki took no offence. The Exterminators mind was elsewhere. "We will be back shortly." Sango climbed onto Kirara's back; Hirikotsu settled behind her, and Miroku settled behind the weapon. His staff rested across her abdomen, and he grasped it on both sides for support. As soon as he settled, Kirara sprang into the forest, leaving Haruki alone under the tree.

**OoOoOoOoO**

Guthrow caught up quickly to Yasha, moving through the forest as effortlessly as a shadow. The trees blocked much of the winds fury, but not all of it. Yasha's braid whipped behind him like an ebony snake, and Guthrows fur was fluffed to make him look twice his size, though the rain still fell, and made their footing treacherous. After the third time Yasha had slipped on a mud patch, Guthrow moved close enough that the boy could see his offered shoulder. Yasha ran the length of a downed giant, one end raising towards the sky, and in one fluid motion, leapt from the log to land squarely by Guthrows shoulders. His fingers fought for purchase in the slick fur, and finally, he had a tenuous hold. Guthrow did his best to run flat and not jump of slide, lest he loose his human mount. Yasha didn't have to strain for long, before Guthrow slowed to a stealthy walk.

The copse of evergreens they entered was dense enough to cut the storm winds down to occasional angry gusts. They had only lost a few of their needles, so it was also relatively dry even around the edges. At least the ground didn't consist of spongy mud, like the rest of the forest contained. Yasha could faintly make out the footprints that must belong to Kagome; their spacing showing that she was walking when she passed through this part of the copse. The intense feeling he and Guthrow had felt in their temporary shelter had not left, and had led them here, to this place. It was apparently the right place, if the footprints were any indication. But what could have happened to Kagome? She wasn't a push-over, and had proven that she could fight.

Guthrow continued padding silently forward when he froze mid-step as a gust blew from the direction they had been going, and caught him in the face. There were several scents mixed in. The strongest smelled of Kagome, and Kagome's blood. That caused the mix-breed to growl deep in his throat. She had been hurt. Another scent was that of a Velkir, but it was mixed, and he couldn't define the other scents that mixed with it, and that added to his unease. The other, was a strong pungent odor of Hatred and Death.

"Trouble," he whispered to Yasha, who by this time had slid from his friends back to land silently on the damp forest floor. Yasha nodded, and loosed the straps that held his blade in, though he did not draw it. Even a small reflection of sunlight would give them away, and he did not want to expose himself to whatever creature was here with them. It would take out the element of surprise, and maybe even ruin their chances of a rescue.

As the pair made their way forward, Yasha found his mind sharpening to the sights and sounds around them; as much as he could detect at least that was not included in the sounds of wind and rain. He found it easy to slip into his training. Hashba had beat it into his head and body so well, that he didn't even have to think about any of it anymore. He automatically adjusted his step and his stance to create the perfect silence; to be the perfect hunter and killer. But even his training could not prepare him for what he saw next. For as he cleared a dense clump of underbrush, he saw kagome; blood flowing freely down her front and clothes; her neck caught in the jaws of a large black cat. Blood pooled around her, and made the mud around her slick and wet, and her clothing was drenched in the crimson river. Her eyes were closed, and it didn't look as though she was breathing.

* * *

Hey everyone! I'm sorry that it's taken me so long to update. I haven't had time to write. I've had knee-pain and a job, and they've been burying me in pain pills and work, but I have some time now, and this should go faster. I really didn't realize how much time had passed until I happened to look and when i last updated, and the last reiew I had, asking if I had quit. So, I haven't really!!! I'm here. I would let you know if I had. So here you go, the next chapter. And once again, I'm so sorry for the wait!


	6. Unknown Opponent

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Chapter Six: Unknown Opponent**

_Story: Knots of Fate_

By: Sky

* * *

InuTaisho placed the parchment back onto his desk, and turned golden eyes back to the messenger. The young Silver Clansman sat comfortably on her haunches, blue eyes patiently watching. She belonged to Karamina, this one. She was the one Karamina had sent to track the progress of his pup Kagome. The other Clansman who was following Sesshomaru had already reported. He was actually closing in on his sisters position. Though InuTaisho knew that he would not be receiving any more about his son, as Sesshomaru had actually caught the Clansman, before releasing it. On the bottom of the report, in his own graceful handwriting, had been written six words; Leave the babysitters at the palace. With those words, InuTaisho knew that he would not allow himself to be tracked again.

It wasn't that he didn't trust his children, it was because he couldn't be with them that he wanted to know where they were and what they were doing. This recent report told him that his daughter was well, and had watched the Exterminators at their duties. It also told of Aveatre and Haruki's pup growing well. He was glad of that, as the pair of kitsune had been his friends for a long time. It was time they had stopped dancing around each other with coy games and had started a family of their own. He had been surprised to find Aveatre willing to go on this journey, with her pup in tow, but she had informed InuTaisho that _someone _was going to have to look after the entire group. And who better to do it then a kitsune. He had to agree.

Guthrow and Yasha were forming a close bond, and Kagome seemed to be forging a bond for herself. InuTaisho had to grin as he read that part. InuTaisho knew of Kagome's attraction for Yasha, and he knew the boy reciprocated her feelings, though he didn't admit it, but that was the way with all young men. They were too 'manly' for love. Though, they usually tended to grow out of it at some point. Demons tended to take a few centuries, humans seemed to take just as long. It seemed that the journey had been a good idea, despite how it had started, and how painful it had been for InuTaisho to see both of his children gone. But they were never going to grow if they stayed in confines of the palace, and under the protection of their father.

**OoOoOoOoO**

Yasha froze in mid-step; shock keeping him still. It was only by sheer luck that he was still hidden in the underbrush. Silver eyes widened in disblief, as they continued to take in the scene before him. He felt Guthrow stiffen beside him as the mix-breed was able to see what was before them. He watched as a steady flow of blood ran down her paling body; a stream making its way down her arm to steadily drip down into the already saturated earth. Because his eyes befell the falling blood, he was able to shake off the shock that had frozen him, and he crouched beside his wolven friend. Guthrow turned disbelieving eyes to Yasha, breaking his own horror that had frozen him in place.

Not a word was exchanged, and only slight movements were used when Yasha told Guthrow with his hands what he planned to do. Yasha was going to make his way to Kagome, while Guthrow tried to distract that large black Velkir-like creature that held Kagome in its jaws. While Guthrow had the creature distracted, Yasha would move in and take Kagome and flee. The third being in the clearing, clothed in a white baboon pelt, was left as a wild card. Neither knew anything about him. But with Guthrows speed and agility, should the other attack, he should be able to defend himself and Yasha.

Guthrow wished that another plan could be thought out, but they didn't have time. And who knew if anyone from the camp would be coming, if anyone had even noticed yet that they were missing. They could not count on additional support, and there was no time to go back and get them. He knew he would also have to be careful with his footing, even though the storm had broken on their journey over here, and only a light breeze now blew. If the terrain around Kagome was any proof, any slightly low place on the floor would yield slippery footing.

Taking his cue from Yasha, Guthrow rushed into the clearing, fangs bared at the cat-creature. Musouka watched him, her green and gold eyes watching him as he approached. She was sure that Naraku would not come to her aid unless she needed it, and though she had a task to perform, she was always itching for a fight. He had now given her to strength to actually be able to stand up to her opponents. Releasing her hold on the girl, she let Kagome fall limp to the earth as she extended her claws and raised them towards the mix-breed that was charging her. Though, even at the sight of her long, blade-like claws, he did not stop. He ran right into her, knocking her over. Musouka dug her claws deeply into his shoulder, but the wolf-dog moved as though he did not feel it. His claws sank into her scruff, his back claws trying to find purchase in her flesh. She in turn tried the same with her claws, her wings flaring as she moved to throw the wolf-dog from her. She could not bite him as she wished, for then their plan would be ruined, so she kept her mouth firmly closed, and used her wits to attack. And it was because she turned that she saw that the mix-breed was only a diversion.

Yasha knelt by Kagome, his hands lifting her out of the mud to have her lean against him. With hands dyed crimson and brown, he tore from his clothing hem several strips of cloth, wadded two of the pieces, and put them to either side of Kagome's neck, tying them on with the third strip, and then he applied pressure. Kagome only faintly stirred as he pressed on her wounds, trying to staunch the bleeding. He wanted to do more, but he knew it was not safe here, and he did not wish for Guthrow to be too badly injured, though it looked like his friend was doing just fine with the velkir-like creature. They were evenly matched, as Guthrow was only a little bigger then the creature. As he bent to pick Kagome up, he sensed movement to his side, and dodged out of the way just in time to escape a blow aimed for his head.

White claws extended from the tip of the hand that extended from under the baboon-pelt, and a sinister smile was plastered on the half-face that could be seen.

"You cannot take her yet. I am not done with her yet."

Yasha drew his blade, watching the creature before him. I could not be human. It moved too fast. It had to be a demon of some type. He settled easily into his training, watching the creature carefully for any movement that would reveal its weakness; a weakness that Yasha would then exploit to bring it down.

"I don't think so. I'm taking her back with me."

"Ku ku ku," the baboon-clothed demon laughed, a dark and sinister tone that would have made the hairs on the back of Yasha's neck raise if he wasn't pre-occupied with watching the other closely. "What do you think you can do? You are merely a human body. You won't defeat me."

It only took Yasha a moment to move, but he had almost been too slow as a green vine-like tentacle snaked out from the lower portion of the baboon pelt, and had aimed right at his head. He had no doubt that with the speed it traveled, it would have gone right through his head. Tucking himself into a ball so he would not injure himself, he rolled for a few feet before springing to his feet, blade raised defensively before him. But damn, he was farther away from Kagome now, who once more lay motionless in the crimson mud.

Another tentacle shot towards him, and he hacked at it with his blade. He always kept the edge honed, so it sliced easily through the appendage, leaving a portion laying on the ground nearby, but that didn't seem to bother the demon. He just laughed aloud, and sent more tentacles towards the human boy. Yasha dodged and swiped, trying to clear some room around him to move, and he almost didn't see another tentacle aimed for his stomach. But because of the others around him, he could not move in time to prevent himself from being run through. And that was when Guthrow joined into the fight.

He leapt through the other tentacles, to grab the one that would spear Yasha in his powerful jaws, snapping the appendage in half with one bite. This actually caused a small frown to appear on the face of their attacker.

Nuraku took a moment to turn, and watched Musouka rise to her feet and shake her head; her feathers ruffled, and a small trail of blood running from her head. It appeared that the half-breed had been able to throw her into a tree. How surprised his father would be to discover that his bastard kin actually knew how to fight. He motioned for her to collect Kagome, and she nodded, heading for the girl on paws that grew steadier as she moved.

Yasha saw the velkir-like creature heading for Kagome, and knew he had to stop her. He ran for her, ducking under Guthrow as he was thrown backwards, and tossed his blade at the approaching creature. Twisting under another vine, he heard a high-pitched shriek as his blade bit deep into the back flank of the black-winged cat, causing it to stumble in its run, and giving him ample time to come to its side and tear his blade free of the flesh it had buried itself in. And as the tip of the blade left her flesh, Musouka turned and buried her fangs deep into the boy.

Yasha had seen her move, but had only a split second to raise his arm in defense. Fangs red with Kagome's blood pierced his skin, breaking the bone in her grip. He grunted in pain, and his grip loosened to drop the blade on the ground between them. In her green and her gold eye, Yasha saw nothing but malice and hatred burning bright in their depths, and he knew she would kill him in and instant if she could. Blood ran from her head-wound, and down her jaws, landing on his arm to mix with his and Kagome's blood. His own was running down his elbow now to drip in a steady stream onto the earth. Yasha was trying to figure out the best way to retrieve his blade and not lose his arm, when a loud 'whoosh' could be heard coming through the forest. It was the sound of Hirikotsu cutting through the forest.

**OoOoOoOoO**

The large boomerang shot out of the wood, and headed straight for her, and Musouka had no choice but to let the human boy go and jump back, or lose her head. Even though she jumped back with all her strength, the weapon still passed just inches in front of her nose. As she landed, she noticed that her human prey was armed again. In that time of her distraction, the human boy had retrieved his blade, and stood protectively between she and Kagome. One arm hung bleeding and useless at his side, but his look of determination informed her that he would not give up his ground so easily again. Musouka bared her fangs at him, but knew the tide had turned when the Exterminator entered the clearing, catching her large weapon, and sent her two-tailed cat after her. Her thigh hurt badly enough because of the humans blade that had sunk deeply into it, and the several marks the mix-breed had left also stung. And this was a battle-trained youkai that was approaching. She knew she could not win this fight.

Turning, she fled to Naraku's side. He was currently engaged with a monk, whose gold staff easily severed the tentacles that they came in contact with. It appeared her master was losing his own battle. He turned briefly to see his injured creation, before letting lose his miasma. He laughed again as he watched the humans choke on his fumes, until he saw them bring out their exterminators masks, which would filter out the poison from the air. He laughter turned into a snarl, and then with a hand on Musouka, they fled in the direction the Exterminators had come.

**OoOoOoOoO**

Sango leaned against Kirara, coughing the poison from her lungs. Even though she had pulled her mask on as quickly as possible, she had still inhaled some of the toxic miasma that the demon had released. She could hear Miroku on the other side, doing as she was doing. Kirara had returned to their side once her would-be opponent had fled, and had tried to offer what aid she could to her human companions. When they were sitting beside her, gasping and weak, she moved off to check on Yasha. As the Exterminators had approached, they had paused when they had found Guthrow lying in the forest, his lips and gums badly burned and covered in festering blisters. He was too weak to make it to his feet, and Sango suspected he had been poisoned. By what, she could not tell at that moment. Now she knew that he had also more then likely encountered the miasma somehow.

Of the three humans, Yasha had inhaled the least amount of the miasma, since the baboon-pelted demon had aimed it mainly at Sango and Miroku to try and take them out. He still felt many of the effects though, and with vision swaying, he sat down hard next to Kagome, his fingers losing the grip on his blade once more. Trying to shade the feeling of dizziness off, he tore at the tattered remains of his shirt with one hand, pulling free another ragged strip that he tied as tightly as he could to his upper arm. Almost immediately, the blood running down his broken arm slowed to a sluggish crawl. Sitting still for a moment as a wave of nausea and dizziness swept over him, he then turned his attention to Kagome.

The rags he had placed on her neck were stained through, but he also did not see any fresh blood on her neck. The mud and blood mixture that lay splattered over her neck was starting to dry. As Kirara drew close, Yasha motioned her forward, and indicated Kagome.

"I can't carry her," as all he told the twin-tailed demon cat, and Kirara immediately crouched down, getting as close to the ground as she could. With his good arm, he tried to gently drag Kagome over Kirara's back, and position her in a way that she wouldn't fall off, though he knew Kirara would also be careful. With much heaving and hauling, and several moments of dizziness, he was finally able to achieve his goal of Kagome straddling Kirara's back, her arms and legs hanging loosely, and her head resting on the demon cats shoulder.

Kirara mewled at him as he started to stagger away, but he shook his head. He didn't want to climb onto her back. He didn't think he could stay on, regardless of how easily Kirara would walk to keep him on. As she rose to her feet, he did settle on burying a hand in the fur of her shoulder, and allowing her to give him support as they made their way back to Sango and Miroku.

In the time it had taken him to struggle with Kagome, his two allies had sufficiently recovered themselves. As Kirara and Yasha had approached, Sango took one look at Yasha and ordered him to sit down. The only reason he didn't argue was because he didn't think he could stand anymore anyway, and he would rather have it look as though he was following orders, instead of falling on his butt. Kirara crouched down and waited patiently as Miroku approached her side to check on Kagome. She nuzzled him affectionately as he passed, and he smiled at her before reaching out to rub her by the ear. Even though she had chosen to travel mainly with Sango now, there were no hard feelings between them. And she did still care for the human who had saved her life, and he still cared for the twin-tail that had given him hell.

**OoOoOoOoO**

Miroku examined Kagome with gentle fingers, his hands never straying from their task. It was no time to try and feel up a pretty girl, especially when she was unconscious and bleeding. Besides, Kagome could probably rip his throat out, and then he would have to deal with Yasha killing him the rest of the way for touching his girl.

With deft fingers, Miroku untied the rangs tied around her neck, careful not to disturb the wounds underneath overly much, though he did cause one to bleed again as he accidently tugged the dried blood from the top of it. It was because of the rags that Yasha had tried around her neck, that the wounds had not a trace of mud mixed into them, and he could clearly ascertain their condition.

There were four deep puncture marks on her neck, two on either side. The wounds on the right of her neck were farther apart, as they were inflicted by the top long teeth of the demon cat. It was one of the closer wounds on the left that he had caused to bleed, though already the wound had stopped. Four jagged holes ran through her neck, though none of the wounds met. Even for a demon, it would take some time for these to heal. If she had been in her dog-form, they would not have been such deep wounds. But because she was in her human form, they were severe.

Pulling a dagger from a sheath hidden up his arm, Miroku cut at the hem of his own robe, binding Kagome's neck in a strip of violet cloth. He would have used the black, but it would be harder to tell if the wounds bled again, and he thought that it might be hot against her neck. As he finished, his gaze turned to where Yasha and Sango sat.

Yasha had his arm bound tightly against his newly-cleaned and sheathed blade, and Sango was just finishing with the sling it would rest in. Already, the green skirt of her previous clothing was staining through with blood, and it looked as though she was using her civilian shirt to create the sling. Yasha would be the real one they had to keep their eyes on. Kagome and Guthrow were demons. Their wounds would heal. And though Yasha was an Exterminator, their wounds didn't heal fast enough to prevent subsequent infection. They would have to make their way quickly back to camp if they were going to have time to make any poultice and apply, before his wounds started closing and infecting. Miroku turned to see if their other companion had regained his feet, and found Guthrow standing under the branches of a nearby tree, his feet splayed and his head hanging down. Blood dripped from his mouth where several of the blisters had popped, and were oozing with pus and blood. Miroku knew he was uncomfortable, but there was nothing that could be done here. And in a few days, the blisters should be gone, and his mouth fully healed.

Miroku stood, motioning that Kirara should follow, and made his way back to Yasha and Sango. Yasha's eyes gleamed fever-bright, and his skin pale from loss of blood. He was already suffering from wound fever. Miroku said not a word to Sango, for he did not have to. She knew as well as he did that they needed to get back to camp. They needed to patch up their wounded with actual supplies and not torn bits of fabric, and if they could, they needed to rest and regain their strength for as long as they could, for who knew when another demon would attack.

Yasha also knew this, for he struggled to his feet, shrugging off Sango's helping hand, and headed a bit unsteadily down the path in which they'd come. As he neared Guthrow, the wolf-dog raised his head and regarded Yasha. The boy in turn rested a hand on his shoulder before removing it and continuing on. Guthrow immediately turned and moved to walk beside the human boy, where Yasha's hand once more found the others shoulder, leaning against it sometimes for added support. Miroku and Sango quietly followed, with Kirara between them bearing the unconscious Kagome. They watched closely as Yasha staggered more the longer they walked, and Gurthrows paws dragged on the ground. Sango was about to explode and berate Yasha for his foolishness, and tell him to stop being stubborn and climb on Kirara, when something stopped her.

The forest was too quiet. No birds chattered in the trees, no forest creatures scampered at their app and the trees seemed different. Tightening her grin on Hirikotsu, she surveyed the area more closely, looking for signs she knew were there that something was wrong. Kirara noticed her tension, and perked her ears, keeping all senses alert. Miroku too was on alert, though it didn't seem that Yasha and Guthrow were. They continued on at their dragging pace. Sango then noted a downed tree, the sap still draining from the stump and from the fallen giant. Not forty feet ahead, there was another giant that had fallen. It could have been taken down by the storm, but with the way the trunk was broken and split, she was sure that something had done this.

Using her free hand, she signaled to Miroku, he nodded as he examined the tree as well. And as he took a second look, he stopped short. He recognized that tree. It was the one that Yasha and Kagome had sought shelter under during the storm. Quickening his steps to the trunk, bypassing Yasha and Guthrow on the way and with the buzzing growing louder, he found the indents of Kagome's feet in her dog form, and Gurthrows paw prints at the base. Yasha's foot-prints were found near the trunk. As he looked around, he found the source of the buzzing. Flies, a whole cloud of them, swarming around thicket and the oak tree where Aveatre and Haruki were keeping camp.

* * *

Well, I found time to update. *dies* Sorry about the wait, have had a lot going on. And I had a chance recently to pause and think. I remember when I started this story up at my grandparents, writting on the laptop I just got for my birthday. And thus, ToF was born. I've had several readers stay with me through my lapses, and I'm still working on ironing out the inconsistencies that inevitably cropped up. And I want to thank you all. This story would probably never have gotten as far as it has without my reviewers, and the people who pm and chat with me. It probably would have just stopped a while ago, another unfinished story in my library of snippets that take up most of my hard drive. I have made you all angry, made you cry, and you have still stuck with me and the story that I try to weave. Hopefully, it will continue to capture you as the story continues to be written. Thank you all again, for reading, and being a part of the Fates stories. You make me laugh, and inspire me to continue on.

Do not worry, I now have an idea for the next two chapters at least. They hid away for a while, with school work, going to work, and working on projects at home that have left me exhausted. I've been working as hard as I can to raise money for dental work, so that my ears stop hurting and thus my head will for once stop aching. (Tooth pain makes ears ache, and ears aching give me a headache. yes, I am one without benifits (dental, health insurance, etc) so I'm constantly balancing my funds to manage that too, along with paying for college) Other stories have tried to creep up on me, and I've worked on them to the best of my ability, to try and get back to this one. I have a story that one day I hope to introduce to you all. It's an original piece of work that I hope many of you will enjoy.

That is all for me today. Hopefully it won't take as long to get the next written. I know you are probably dying to read it now. Take care and be well everyone!


	7. To Visit Momiji

**

* * *

Chapter Seven: To Visit Momiji**

_Story: Knots of Fate_

By: Sky

* * *

The sky was a brilliant blue, and not a cloud smeared the color of it. A bright sun splayed warm rays onto the earth, and for many it was a day to celibrate; for children to play outside for a bit before chores for the storm had stopped, and the ground was finally drying. Work crews of men were scattered around houses and along village roads, continuing to clean up the damage that the storm had wrought. Some things would never be healed again. An old tree had been torn from its roots and lay across the main road of a nearby village, its girth so wide that the men knew it would take weeks if not months to finally cut it through, though the wood would not to waste. Bark was already being removed to repair buildings, and the smaller branches piled to the side to dry before winter set in. Even with the large giant laying across the road, men still chatted with high spirits, glad to be back out into the sunshine and back to work. They did not notice a small band of demons and humans pass by their village, a dark cloud hanging over them even on this fine day.

**OoOoOoOoO**

Kagome tucked Shippo a little more into the crook of her arm, keeping the sun out of the sleeping kids eyes. She rode astride Kirara, not feeling well enough yet to walk on her own feet. Her neck was stiff and sore, and she could feel the depths of the wounds. She would probably bear another scar now, and that thought drew her eyes down to her wrist. It had seemed so long ago that she had gained that scar, fleeing from the large velkir that had been attacking she and Yasha, before they had been rescued. Her eyes turned to the boy she was thinking of, watching him sleep as he lay across Guthrows back, and her mind wondered.

She couldn't remember much from her attack. She remembered the pain, and she remembered clumsy fingers as someone worked to bind the wounds inflicted on her neck. After that she remembered awakening laying sprawled on Kirara's back, mud and blood staining her creamy fur. There was a sound of digging, and she had turned her head to see Guthrow throwing dirt back into a whole that he had dug, blood foaming around his mouth as he breathed heavily with the effort of digging, and most of him covered in thick wet mud. She hadn't had the sense to ask what was happening, and trusted that her companions would care for her as she slipped back into unconsciousness. Now, she wished she had paid more attention. As she had been told later, they had traveled back to the camp only to find it plagued with flies. When Yasha and Guthrow had finally started paying attention to their surroundings, they had pushed off their pain, heading straight for the source of the flies, and had come across two corpses.

Haruki, or what was left of him, lay huddled over his mate. The skin and flesh looked to have been stripped from him, and spread a bit around the clearing. His spine and the back of his ribcage were clean of skin and muscle, the bones were still dyed red with blood. His neck appeared to have been broken. Aveatre was in a little better condition underneath, though that could only be accounted for by the protection her mate had given her. Her back was still stripped to bloody remains though, and she looked as though she had been protecting something. And that something proved its life as a muffled wail could be heard. Yasha, on unsteady feet, had made his way to the side, trying to reach under the corpses of his two kitsune friends to remove what they had given their life to protect. With one good arm though, it was nigh impossible, and he cursed softly, trying to save his breath for the effort. It was only as Sango gently moved Haruki that Yasha had enough access to pull the small kit from his mothers arms. Shippo had cried in fear and shock as Yasha had pulled the bloody kit free. A small eartip was missing, and a piece of flesh on his upper arm, but other then that the kit was fine. The blood that covered him had been his parents.

As his rescue was completed, the energy and strength that Yasha had found left him completely, and he could do no more then to sit hard upon the ground, then fall backwards into a sprawl, breathing heavily in reaction and pain. Sweat rolled steadily from his brow, and Sango was sure that it wasn't just effort that had caused him to sweat. It looked as though his fever was rising. Sango headed off with Shippo to clean the kit up and take care of his wounds before they festered, while Miroku looked to Yasha, finding the boy already burning to the touch. He knew they had some medicines in the bag under their camp tree, and quickly made his way other to the bag, bringing it back with him along with the other supplies that had been left. As he returned, he paused for a moment beside a tree to watch Guthrow dig slowly at the ground, throwing mud in great wet globs between his hind legs and into the forest. As he noticed the other watching, Guthrow stopped to turn a dull gaze to him, allowing Miroku pass with no fear of being hit by flying mud. Miroku quickly passed, setting the gear nearby as Guthrow resumed digging, the blood in his mouth turning to foam on his muzzle as he fought to breath as he dug.

They had left the camp after all was cared for, knowing that predators and all kinds of demons would come to the scent of blood and death. Kagome had stayed sprawled on Kirara until the next morning, when she had finally awoken. That had given her time to learn the fates of two of her fathers closest friends, and that of their kit. She had wept dearly for them, soaking Kirara's shoulder with her tears before falling back into an exhausted sleep. That night she dreamed of when she was little, of always being underfoot of Hiruki and Aveatre. Of Aveatre giving her sweet meats and candy, and Hiruki complaining good-naturedly about her trying to trip him and break his neck. They had been hear teachers once as well. Aveatre with her infinite patience and skill teaching Kagome how to read and write, how to dress herself in pretty colors, how to brush and comb her hair, and how to play pranks on her much older brother. She had been almost like a second mother when Kagome had lost hers, and now, she had lost her mother again. Her dream was broken by the cries of confusion from Shippo, and Kagome had immediately asked for the kit. She could still take care of their kit, who needed a mother now like she had needed one. She could do that for her friends. Since then, he had never left her side. She made sure to feed him, and bathe him, and he always slept curled against her at night, blanketed by the warmth of her body.

Sango and Miroku regularly checked her bandages, nodding to her to let her know what she was mending well. They liberally spread a poultice on her wounds to make sure that they stayed moist and were free of infection. Demons could live though much, but they didn't want to take a chance, and neither did she. Guthrow had been forced to drink something, which he had tried to spit out but the Exterminator pair had held his muzzle until he had swallowed. It did help reduce the pain he had felt, and soon enough the blisters had closed and healed, and he hungrily tore into the deer that he had caught when he felt well enough to eat. They had been healing well, but Yasha had taken extra care.

Kagome had been conscious to watch as Yasha burned alive for four days after the battle. No cloth stayed cool the moment it touched his brow, and he had writhed in agony, muttering unintelligible things. Several times Kagome caught a worried look from Miroku, and a grim look from Sango that she knew meant that they were loosing him. The bite on his arm oozed, and the flesh around it was a deep red, with veins of blue that started from the bite wounds. Once even, out of desperation to cool him off, Miroku had taken him into a river, submersing the boy up to his neck in the icy water, and held him there. Yasha had struggled for a few moments before relaxing completely, something he hadn't done since his fever had started. They had been at that camp two day when the river had finally washed the fever from him, and Yasha finally began to recover. He was absolutely delirious when he had awoken the first time, but somehow he had managed to talk Miroku and Sango into heading north, back to the village he wanted to see so badly. Maybe it was because she thought he was going to die that she had agreed to go.

Now they slowly made their way north, with Guthrow normally carrying the semi-conscious Yasha on his back. Many times a day he would slip into unconciousness, and Kagome had turned to look at Miroku and Sango, sure that something was wrong.

"It's his body healing," Miroku had finally explained on day. "It takes a lot of energy to heal itself. It's actually good that his is resting to much. It means that he will recover faster."

"But I've seen demons injured, and they never sleep nearly so much." Miroku chuckled.

"No, demons are different. They heal differently. But even they, if badly wounded, will rest as often as possible. Much like yourself." She had no response for him, for he was right. She had spent the beginning of the journey mainly unconscious on Kirara's back.

They continued their journey slowly through the woods, passing easily from the western lands into the northern. It had been several weeks since the attack, and though with the demons they could have made much better time, the group found no need to hurry on their journey. Kagome walked easily alongside Kirara, with baby Shippo toddling ahead of her. Last week, he had begun walking. He'd only managed a few steps around the camp before, landing heavily many times and crying not from pain, but from frustration. He had seen the adults moving so easily, but he couldn't match their grace. Kagome would always pick him up and coo to him, murmuring sweet nothings to the kit. He would respond in kind, babbling to her in small sounds, normally wrapping a small fist into either her hair or her clothing. He loved his mother Kagome, and it was obvious that she was just as much in love with him. Then she would set him down for him to try again. Guthrow was usually located somewhere around Yasha, with the boy either leaning against him or sitting on him. They had found better material for the sling, and now his arm was strapped against his chest, making sure it wouldn't move if he had to run. His arm healed slowly, but at least the angry red was gone from the edges of the wounds.

He walked now as well most of the time, leaving Gurthow to pad easily beside him. Some nights, he would retain a human shape and spar with Yasha, trying to keep the youth physically in shape. Even if their sparring didn't last for more then a few moments. Other times, he would take his turn checking on the wound, using his senses to smell if there was any lingering infection. Most of the time when he changed though, it was to do some camp duty; either gathering firewood or starting the fire. Kirara always provided the flames to light the tinder. The demons had no need for the fire, but the humans found the nights growing cool enough that they had needed to buy extra provisions to keep them warm at night. The funds had come from Sango and Miroku exterminating several demons that had been terrorizing villages along the path. Some villages gave them supplies, others gave them money. In the end they were well provisioned for the colder climate of the north, and for the approaching winter.

**OoOoOoOoO**

Sesshomaru had lost the trail of his prey nearly a week ago, and it burned him that that had happened. How could the creature hide its scent from him. How had he, the son of InuTaisho and heir to the Western Lands, lost the trail of some filthy demon. He paused momentarily in an open meadow, turning a gaze up to the full moon rising over the trees. He found his thoughts momentarily turning to his sister. He wondered how her own quest was going, and hoped she had turned back already, how unlikely that was. She was the Daughter of InuTaisho, and had the same stubborn streak as both her father and her mother. She had truly been a beauty, even for a dog demon, their mother had been. Long velvet hair, liquid silver eyes. She never fancied long silk dresses, and was often found wearing short ones with slacks beneath, hair bound back in a long ponytail. A crescent moon had adorned her brow, and she also had a pair of magenta stripes along her cheeks; the markings that she had passed down to her only son. She could be as gentle as a summer breeze, or as violent as a storm. She was firm yet compassionate, and an old emotion stirred in the dark pit of his heart, and emotion he had buried the day she had died.

He shook his head, dispelling the thoughts that had found their way there. Why had those emerged? He had no time for them. He was on a hunt. Kagome could take care of herself. She was his sister. He did not approve of her journey, but she could care for herself. A light scent came to him on the shifting breeze, and he understood now why his sister had entered his mind. He could smell her now, and it was laced with blood. Golden eyes widened as he caught another scent, one that belonged to his prey. He made his way quickly into the breeze, using his demonic speed to try and arrive before the ambush was sprung. But as he found the source of the scents, he stopped dead; looking down into the dried and caked mud on the forest floor. He was already too late. The ground here reeked of blood.

**OoOoOoOoO**

The trees were in full change by the time Yasha began recognizing the surrounding area. This was his home territory, where the Exterminators of Momiji came to train in the forest. He was surprised when they had not encountered any patrols or guards, but he had not been back to Momiji for some time, so maybe they hadn't been needed. Or maybe they were recognized and allowed entrance into the lands without challenge. It wouldn't be the first time it had happened.

"I was here for two years training," Yasha explained as they continued heading towards the village. By his estimate, they should be there a little before nightfall, which was fine with him. "Then a few friends and I decided that we should go hunting on our own. So we did." Guthrow snickered beside him, and Yasha tuned a glowering eye on the demon. "What's so funny?"

"I remember well what you were hunting Yasha," as all Guthrow said, his eyes blazing with mirth. It was then that Yasha remembered the knocking out of the dog-demon guards and the capturing of Kagome. He looked out of the corner of his eyes, hoping he hadn't offended her, to find her trying to hide a smile. So they thought it was funny huh? strongly

"Keh," he replied vehemently, turning his attention away from the pair. Before he could lather himself too much as their enjoyment, Kagome diffused the situation momentarily.

"It was a different time Yasha. And I would like to meet these boys again…. When they're not trying to kidnap me." Yasha cursed and Guthrow silently cackled beside him. Point to Kagome.

Yasha walked in silence for the rest of the journey, lost in his thoughts. There was a distinctive chill to the air now, and he would rather spend the night indoors then outside again. His mind then wondered to his fellow Exterminators.

He wondered if Hashba was still telling his stories; if Yoshi was still ordering around the boys; if Sachio and Ichiro were still getting in trouble by sneaking into the bar and stealing drinks. If Ken'ichi every finally improved his sword work, of if Nathru ever mastered the bow like he always wanted. He hadn't seen them since they had split up to travel on separate paths back to Momiji. Wouldn't they be surprised to see him now, especially traveling with their prey. He could imagine what they would say, and he couldn't help but smile slightly at their memories of warmth and open friendship. After he had proven to them that he was a true Exterminator, he had been welcomed in with open arms to their ranks. With his previous experience, he had risen high in the trainees status, and found himself often cornered by those who wanted to hear stories of his adventures. The Exterminator Trainees had gotten him over much of his shyness, and reclusiveness, and he owned them much thanks. Not that he would ever tell –them- that.

The path to the village was well-maintained, but something didn't feel right. Something was different about his home. He turned to find Sango's expression closed, and her lips pressed. She was not happy about being here. He continued walking, stubborn pride keeping him from stopping and telling the others to go back. As he made his way to the gate, with the others keeping close, the sense of unease intensified. It all looked the same though. There were a few more marks on the wooden gate, but that wasn't something new. Maybe someone was practicing and their weapon slipped. Or a demon attacked the village. The new timbers around the gate could mean that they had been damaged in a storm. That had happened to. Though as much as he tried to rationalize the slight changes in the gate, his sense of unease did not lessen. When Yasha had finally decided to tell Kagome to go wait somewhere until he was sure of the village, a small side-door opened up by the main gate. Yasha started in surprised to see a cat-eared individual standing there with a covered lantern, gazing at him with critical green eyes.

"Are you Exterminators?" the cat-girl asked, and Yasha dumbly nodded. She looked like she could be a half-demon. What was a half-demon doing in an Exterminators village? And opening the side gate to boot. She still looked as though she didn't believe him, when the lamplight flickered, and she was able to see the rest of the group.

"Hiraikotsu," the girl murmured upon seeing the large boomerang on Sango's back. Then her gaze flickered to the miniature Kirara resting on her shoulder. "And Kirara. You must be who you say, come in. It will be too cold for you soon." The cat-girl stood aside, allowing the group entrance into the village. They were not far past the wall though, when Yasha came to a dead stop. Kagome was also surprised by what she saw, for she had never heard of a place like this. Sango and Miroku's eyes widened as well at the site. The entire village was filled with half-demons and humans.

**OoOoOoOoO**

He sat with his back against the palace wall, smiling a cruel smile at the dim interior. It had been so easy to acquire this place. Just a little skin-stealing, and he had the servants quaking if they even thought he had passed. There were rumors that servants had been disappearing, and even the palace guard was wary. Of course, the rumors were true. The remains of one lay in the middle of the room. He had had fun with her before devouring her. Fear and sex always did flavor the meat how he liked it. He left the rest for another of his demon experiments to clean up. This one hadn't gone nearly so well, and he wasn't very pleased with it. But it did clean up the messes and he was content to leave it as long as it remained useful.

Tonight, he was eager to see the results of another experiment. He had worked hard on it, and though his plan had hit a snag, the results would hopefully come out the same. In the corner of the room lay Musouka. Her sides moved slowly as she stilled her breath, effecting the change. He found that he too waited with baited breath.

Slowly, very slowly, the fir started to recede into her body, and pale pink flesh was left behind. As her fir receded, her joints dislocated and rearranged themselves, causing her legs to lengthen and become more slender. Her front legs also changed, shortening a bit, the toes extending outwards to become delicate fingers. Her tail pulled back into her body, and her wings folded themselves down tightly, then folded into the skin of her back, leaving it smooth and unbroken. The fur on the back of her head lengthened into long tresses. Her ears moved down the side of her head, ending as pale pink objects with a slight point to the tips. Her muzzle pulled back into her face, and her fangs shortened themselves to fit inside her now smaller mouth.

Musouka lay there panting as the change completed. It had hurt, but as she continued to change, that would not remain the problem. And even if it did continue to hurt, she had still been bestowed a great gift by her master. She rolled onto her belly, and forced herself onto unfamiliar legs, standing slowly to keep her balance. And appreciative snarl greeted her ears, and she turned slowly to face the man she wished more then anything to please. He looked at her like a predator to prey, and she felt herself grin slightly with excitement and pleasure. As Naraku rose from his seat, she licked her lips in anticipation. As he placed a hand on her new shape, she whimpered with need, eliciting from him a dark chuckle.

"Perfect," he crooned, yanking her head back by the hair to expose her throat a bit more to him. He wasted no time sinking his fangs into her shoulder, tasting her. She gasped in pleasure, her hands opening and closing as she felt the need to taste him as well, though knew it would be overstepping her bounds. So she stood, letting him drink of her, while a small crimson rivulet made its way slowly down her chest. When he had gotten his fill, he pulled his fangs from her and walked before her, taking a finger and tracing a pattern on her cheek with her own blood.

"You are almost a perfect copy Musouka. I have no doubt the precious Kagome would look much like you when she matures." He gave a dark chuckle again. "Though you are ten times more of a demon then she could ever be in 1000 lifetimes. What shall we call you while you are like this? Wearing your own disguise of flesh." He thought for a moment, his finger now reaching down to smear the rivulet of blood on her chest, then bringing his fingers to his lips to taste her again. "I know. I shall call you Kikyo."

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Hey everyone. I can't beleive how long it's been since I last wrote on this. My creativity took a turn for art instead of writing, and writing something was like pulling teeth. But it looks as though it's turning back this way again, so the next chapter is already started. xD Hopefully it won't take nearly so long to place up on the site. oh, I have a writing job now! it's not much but it's a start. I'm writing for a 'Learn to Read' program. Wow, I didn't realize how much detail went into those stories. I never thought about them before, but believe me, now I am. Woof!!! Anyway, sorry again that it took so long. I may rewrite, or change it up a bit, but I'll let you know if I do. Until then, take care!!!

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Chapter Seven: To Visit Momij


	8. Lineage

Chapter Eight: Lineage

_Story: Knots of Fate_

By: Sky

* * *

He couldn't believe what he was seeing. A few of the workers stopped and looked at the approaching group, but none stopped for every long. It went against everything he was ever taught here.

"Come on," the cat girl said, standing aside to give them room to enter. "I don't feel like standing here all night." She lead them towards the center of the village, and the farther in they walked, the more humans and half-demons paused in their work to watch them. Yasha sat in a daze as they continued to follow the girl, while Miroku looked around at the new faces, recognizing none of them, which filled him with an even greater sense of unease.

"They don't look like Exterminators," Kagome whispered to Miroku as her nose was asailed with all manner of scents. "And I thought all Exterminators were human."

"They are," was his only reply, as he looked around again.

It was easy to spot the repairs to the village wall. The new wood shown almost like a beacon against the weathered planks. It looked as though the village had suffered through a war, if he could judge by all the new wood he could see. And some of the damages were still not repaired. There were still homes that were reduced to large piles of splinters, with gouges in the streets in various places that looked to have been made by either Exterminator weapons, or demons. There must have been some battle. He turned to look to Sango, but her eyes were shadowed by her bangs, and her gait was stiff. Was this what she hadn't wanted to tell him? It wouldn't have been the first time the village was attacked. They were equipped to handle demons.

They were led up to the main house, Kagome keeping close to Guthrow and Yasha, and the cat girl moved aside the woven doorway, and motioned for them to enter. There was great reluctance in her posture, like she really didn't want them to be here, but someone had told her to bring them. She eyed them all critically again as they passed through the door, Yasha entering before Guthrow who had changed into his 'human' form right when they had entered the village. Kirara had curled up on Sango shoulder and was nuzzling her as they entered, while Miroku had a grim look on his face as he started putting things together. He was sure they were not going to find Hashba here in his house.

They were led through the house until they came to the central chamber. Hashba had used this place many times to plan strategy with his Exterminators. Most of the house was open for generally everyone to enter, and a few who received special training from him would come here to practice. When a young Exterminator or a visitor would ask why he left his house open, he would smile good naturedly and tell them that the village was his family, so why shut them out of the house?

In the central room, a man sat. He was garbed in simple clothing, but they were a better quality then what the others in the village had been wearing, from what they had seen. He was another half-demon, and it looked as though he was a dog of some breed. He had a long flowing brown tail, silver eyes, a pair of slender ears atop his head (though one bent in the middle to lay so the tip touched his head), and finely pointed claws on the tips of his fingers. When he gave them a small smile, a little fang could be seen peeking through his lips.

"Please, Enter. I would like to speak with you." Miroku grimly strode in, with Sango at his heels, followed by the others. Guthrow brought up the rear, and sat nearest the door, so that he could play rear guard to the party. Several mats had already been set out for them, as if their arrival was anticipated. The half-demon looked them all over carefully, with his eyes settling lingering over Sango, then settling on little Shippo sleeping in the sling slung across Kagome's shoulder.

"I had not realized there was a child with you. If you would like, I may have one of the others care for him while you are here."

"He doesn't leave me," Kagome growled lightly, her arms folding over the sleeping kit. It was the same surge of protectiveness that come over her any time someone else wanted to hold him, though it wasn't strong when any of her companions tended to want to hold him. But with strangers, they had the chance of loosing limbs if they came to close. He held up a hand in a surrendering motion.

"Then I will try not to keep you overly long." He turned his attention back to Sango and Miroku. "I am called Hiroshi. I am currently the village leader here."

"Where's Hashba," Yasha all but barked. "What have you done with him?" He would have risen to his feet if Guthrow hadn't placed a restraining hand on him. When he turned go growl at the other demon, Guthrow just nodded his head towards Hiroshi.

"Let him speak first Yasha. I am sure we will learn the tale more quickly if he is not constantly interrupted." Guthrows eyes met Kiroshi's with their own challenging stare, and the half-demon nodded slowly.

"You must be Yasha. I have heard much about you, though I am surprised you do not know Momiji's fate." His eyes shifted to Sango, whose head was bowed and shoulders hunched. "Though, I should not be surprised. It is not a pleasant tale, for any that lived through it. Then I shall tell you.

No doubt you have noticed the repairs we have been accomplishing to the village. When we came here, it was right after the attack. A large swarm of demons came to the village, being led by creatures we had never seen before. They almost looked like Velkir, save for they were much larger, and much meaner. The swarm passed over our village, before coming to attack Momiji. We rallied our forces to come to their aid, for though they are Exterminators, we were not sure they could handle that horde of beasts. By the time we had arrived, the battle was over, with only two survivors." He nodded towards Sango, and then to Kirara who was still perched on her shoulder.

"It could not have been long after the battle when we arrived, for the wounded were still dying. She had the wounded laid out to care for the best she could, while Kirara was digging graves for those in which it was already too late. When she saw our approach, she armed herself for battle, and I have no doubt she would have tried to take us all on. There was no way for her to know that we were not there to fight them. What followed was … an interesting bit of negotiating. Though I am not sure we would have managed to even arrive that far if Kirara hadn't come to our aid to vouch for us."

"Why would she help you?" Yasha snapped, and Guthrows hand tightened on his shoulder.

"Because she knows us," Hiroshi replied smoothly as though Yasha hadn't interrupted, and in fact he had been waiting for some time for the boy to interrupt.

"How would she know you?"

"Yasha," Guthrow whispered warningly.

"No, it is alright." He turned to meet Yasha dark honey-brown eyes. "Hashba brought her to meet us on one of his outings out to the village. Did none of the Exterminators find it strange that he allowed a demon to roam the village freely?"

"There were objections initially to her being allowed, but she proved time and again she was a loyal companion, and wasn't going to steal around the village at night and eat the livestock." Hiroshi looked as though he was about to comment, then shook his head.

"Let me finish the first tale, before I try to go into a second. And then after that, you may understand why he allowed her entrance.

Sango would have attacked us save for Kirara stepping before her, blocking her attack with her own body. We were able to talk to the girl, and show her that our word was good, before setting about the village looking for any surviving demons, or Exterminators. There was hardly a place to walk because of all the corpses, and by the time we were done dispatching the wounded demons, we looked as though we had been in the war. One of the menders had somehow dosed the female Exterminator so that she was resting while we hauled off mangled demon corpses, and started digging graves for the Exterminators. None of the Exterminators we had pulled from the village rubble, had survived through the night." Hiroshi closed his eyes, giving the dead a moment of silence in respect. They had been good fighters, and good people. They had not deserved death the way it had been dealt to them. After several long heart-beats, he continued.

"When she woke up in the morning, she was lived that we had not allowed her to help with the disposal, or the grave-digging. Our mender was surprised she was awake at all to be honest. So she joined our ranks to help us bury the dead. There were too many we did not know, and she used their weapons to mark who was whom; laying them across the mounded earth. It was fitting for them, and at least one would know who they were. After they were all buried, she packed what little was left to her name, and left. One of the others lifted the main door up so she could cross beneath it, and we all watched her leave." 'The last Exterminator of Momiji, or so I had thought then,' Hiroshi thought to himself, looking at the group before him. _'But there is the Monk I was told about, and the rash boy. They are also alive. And I am sure Hashba would be proud.'_

"We were not sure we would ever see her again, so we have been working to restore the village to its former appearance."

"But why?" Miroku asked. "There are no Exterminators to come inhabit it anymore."

"There are Exterminator villages in several areas," Hiroshi explained. "Some are feeling a little overcrowded. We can invite a few of them here, and see if they will stay, even though the graves mark that something terrible has happened here. That way, Momiji will live on, and maybe the spirits of those who died here can pass on, knowing someone will take care of them."

"That doesn't explain why half-demons came to the aid of the Extermintors, and why the humans here look relaxed to be working with all of you." Kagome had finally spoken the question that had been bugging her. "Why would you come help those that would hunt you down?" He smiled at her.

"That gets into the second tale, and one that you might find interesting yourself. Though, I must ask you a question first. Why do the humans look so relaxed around the demons in your group?"

"They know we will not hurt them. We are friends," Kagome replied, her silver eyes gleaming. "And we protect them from those that would hurt them." Hiroshi smiled.

"We mean them no harm if that is what you were saying. And if we had meant you harm, you wouldn't have made it into the village. Most demons are not allowed here. They cause too much destruction and chaos, and the village has suffered enough of that."

"Then why allow us entrance?"

"Because of your companions. Four demons are traveling with three Exterminators, and none of you seems as though you even think about it. Neither side hold the other prisoner. It told the scouts well enough that you all are a traveling group, and we were informed of your arrival here." Kagome thought about that, while Hiroshi smiled. "It is not so strange when you look at it from that point. And in fact, unless there is one running wild or rampant, Exterminators don't actually do much when it comes to half demons. They generally leave them alone, and half demons tend to give them a wide berth. Most of them won't even realize that they do it, or why. And that brings me to my second tale. But first, you look as though you could use something to drink."

Hiroshi motioned to the door, and several people came in to offer them refreshments and something warm to eat. It was a mixed group of humans and half-demons, and it was odd to watch them work in harmony as they moved around to the occupants. When it appeared that everyone was satisfied, he motioned the others away, leaving them alone in the room again.

"Now, what I am about to tell you is one of the best kept secrets of the Exterminators. Only the village leaders ever know it. Hashba was the only one in your village to know it as well. It was the only secret he ever kept from any of you." He looked each of them in the eye, before continuing.

"Many years ago, a priestess was born with great powers. She could take out even the most powerful demons. Her name, was Midoriko. Most of you know her as one of the founders of the Exterminators. What you do not know, is that she was a half-demon." Shocked eyes met his own, and even Sango was pulled from her depressed musings enough to stare in disbelief at him, and he nodded in understanding. It was a story that was not told for a reason. Many would not handle the news well at all of their lineage.

"She was the daughter of a priestess who had fallen for a powerful demon, who used a piercing blue light that shot from his hands to actually dissolve demons, and absorbed their powers so he could use them for himself.. He had saved her many times in her battles, and she in turn had fallen in love with her demon savior, though she knew it was forbidden. And though, she tried, she finally took the demon as her lover. They were able to keep their pairing a secret until one day she became sick, and was constantly sick ever morning after. She had conceived his child, and the village shunned her for it. The demon took her away, and into the caves in the mountain. There he watched and waited as she grew heavy.

On the night of a terrible storm, his lover gave birth to a baby half-demon child that he named Midoriko. She spent her life growing in the caverns, running around the unexplored depths, and not spending much time in the daylight. And soon, she had a baby brother to teach in roaming the caves. Life was good, and she grew up happy and protect by her parents. Though, one day, her father went out hunting, and never came back. Demons of all types started attacking their home, and Midoriko learned that the world was a much crueler place then she had originally thought.

On the day her mother was killed trying to protect her children, then her brother killed for trying to protect her, Midoriko discovered her hidden strength. She could not absorb the demons powers, but she could purify them, and send the purification out farther then even an arrow could reach. No demon was safe from her when they attacked, and soon, she found them keeping their distance. She traveled, banding together other half demons and humans she met on her travels who learned not to fear them, and drove off or killed many demons. After a time, she found her way back to the cavern, and settled down with those around her that she had made her family.

As time goes, the many humans who had started to befriend the half-demons on the journey, found more then friendship with them. There was no longer a speration between human and half-demon, and the village started to settled. Then came the birth of the children, with most looking more human than half-demon, though many kept the traits of their half-demon parents. Either they had strength, great senses, or agility. Most of the children kept the ability to heal quickly; a trait that Extermintors to this day exhibit still. Strength is something else most still have, like your own Sango. Not many can heft the Hirikotsu. And I would have never believe a small thing like her could have hefted it. But you have seen that she can. A few still have the better senses, and fewer still have the agility. But it is where they are from. Almost all Exterminators are the many great grandchildren of half-demons. And some, and no so far from their half-demon parentage." Here he took a steadying breath.

"Hashba knew of the lineage, not only because he was the village leader, but because he was part of it. He grew up in one of the half-demon villages that are still around today, though they are in hiding. One is located not very far from here. Though, sometimes the human children become tired of living amongst us, and travel out to the other villages, and some even start their own families. Hashba was on his own journey when one of the Exterminators found him and discovered his strength, and thus pulling him into the clan."

"Are you trying to tell me, that one of Hashbas parents was a half-demon," remarked Yasha. Hiroshi nodded.

"In fact, I am Hashba's father." And suddenly, those that knew him could see it. He had the same color of hair as his father, and though the eyes were different in color, there was the same strong cheekbones and squared chin. They both even had the same broad chest. It was easy, now that they were looking, to see Hashba's features in the man.

"If I recall correctly," Miroku remarked after clearing his throat, trying to get back on topic after such a revelation. "Midoriko died in a great battle with the demons."

Hiroshi nodded.

"She did. They banded together to slay their greatest enemy, and in the end had only just managed to defend against her. Midoriko knew that she was dying when she lay one last trick against the demons, one that to this day was both a blessing and a curse. She gathered her powers, and wrapped them around herself and her opponent, bathing him in a purifying light. Because she could hardly control the power as her strength was waning, they were both dissolved, though a peculiar thing happened. As the power drew back into her body, it was said her unborn child gathered it to them. The magic of life added it's own twist to Midoriko's final act, and the power crystallized in the baby's chest. At the end of the battle, only the chest and head of the child was left, and in one tiny hand, it grasped onto a blood-red jewel."

"The Shikon no Tama," Sango remarked. Hiroshi nodded.

"That is correct. Some speculate that the child would have had the power of his mother, and did not want to see her spirit leave. So he had blindly reached for her soul, and trapped them all in the gem; the demon and his mother, with him holding them together. Many have tried to release Midoriko's soul from the jewel, but have had no luck in the endeavor."

"Wait wait. Let me see if I understand this," interjected Yasha. "So, some baby traps his mother and her opponent in a little bobble. That is found in the baby's hand as parts of him are left after the battle. That makes three souls. What happened to the fourth? The Shinkon no Tama is the Jewel of Four Souls. That's a stupid name if it only has three in it." Gurthrow placed his other hand on Yasha's shoulder.

"I ask that you ignore his rude manners for a while longer," Guthrow said with a sigh. "I had thought he had learned a bit more but apparently he has forgotten himself." Hiroshi gave an understanding smile.

"If I am to recall, that youth are often impatient with tradition and manners. That is why they tend to find themselves in much trouble. He is more impatient then most. But he does pose an interesting question." He turned to face the other male. "It is called the Jewel of Four Souls because it is incomplete. After the child died, the jewel should have dissipated. But it did not. It was guarded by the most powerful half-demons until it made them restless and turn on one another, and then the Exterminators for years before the secret was discovered that the jewel was incomplete. The Shikon no Tama is missing a soul." His eyes stayed on Yashas for a moment, keeping his gaze.

"The Shikon no Tama can grant a demon great power, but turns them evil. In the end, it destroys its bearer. It was discovered that the reason it does this is because it is trying to find the last soul it needs. The battle has not ended for Midoriko and the demon. It still rages, trapped in one small insignificant looking gem. The only way to release them, is to find the soul that matches the gem. And that has proven to be an impossible task."

"Whyfore?" asked Guthrow, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"Because for one, we cannot let the demons have it, so we spend all of our time guarding it. Two, it was stolen in the raid. The place where it was hidden in the village has been destroyed, and the gem missing. We are certain that is why the demon horde raided. They were after the jewel. Though, who knows where it is now, or in what hands." They sat in silence for several moments before Shippo started to stir, crying out softly for food. Hiroshi smiled good-naturedly at the kit. "I have kept you long enough. You have the needs of others to care for at this moment. Though, if I may say, he doesn't look as though he is yours. Does he take after his father?"

Kagome placed a pinkie in Shippo's little mouth, momentarily quieting him as he suckled it. He may be eating solid foods, and toddling around, but the instinct was still there for him.

"There were two others that were traveling with us. A pair of kitsune." She hesitated for a moment at the emotions the memory conjured up, before swallowing past the lump in her throat and continuing. "They were killed recently protecting him." That hardly described the scene they had come across, but it was all she could manage to tell him. "I couldn't just leave him behind. He would die. And even though our journey to find a man who has done much to harm my family is dangerous, he has no other place. And I will not abandon him to strangers." There was a growl in her voice as she said those last words. She was feeling protective again. Hiroshi only smiled.

"It seems that you have taken to the task quite readily, and you protect him like he was your own. I think even though the journey is going to be hard for you, that he has found a good mother. That's all a child can ask for." He rose to his feet, and the others followed suit, as he walked to the door they had come in. "The night grows chilly, and you have had much to think upon. There are several rooms here, and I invite you to stay the night, or however long you wish. If you have any more questions in the morning, I will answer them as best I can for you." With that, he led them farther into the house.

**OoOoOoOoO**

Musouka growled to herself at how foolish she had been to let her prize go, but it had worked. She could now walk around the mortals, and they did not look at her askance, except they would look for her beauty. She did not know what the standards for beauty were for human men, but apparently she met it as she walked through villages. They had clothed her, and fed her, and a few had asked her to stay in their houses for the night. She had taken them up on these offers, until one night a man had snuck into the house she had taken him down as she would any other prey. His arousal spiced the meat as she chewed hungrily on him, making sure to keep it away from the side where she had hung her beautiful clothing. In the morning, she dressed, and left, following a trail that she knew was still here, for she could smell it. The half-breeds son had the strongest stench, and then came the smell of her prize. The sweet-tasting girl that had been taken away before she could give her to her master. And then, her nose caught the hated scent, and she couldn't help but curl her lip even in human form. He had taken her prize, and he had wounded her. She would never forgive him, and one day, she would kill him. She paused for a moment as she tasted the scent, and though it was her bane, she tested it again. It was fresh; no more then a day old. She was close to them. She licked her lips in anticipation.

_'My Master, they are close.'_

**OoOoOoOoO**

Sesshomaru wasted no time as he sped through the forest, following the trail of his sister. Though, he found the demons scent on it on many occasions. He was following them! He growled deep in his chest as he continued to follow. Kagome should be close to healed by now, if he knew her recuperative powers, though she would still be a bit weak. The human boy would not, he thought, and then banished the human from his mind. If he lived or died Sesshomaru didn't care. He was a frail human. They all died in the end. He knew he was catching up. Just one more day, and he should be upon them. And upon the beast that was trailing Kagome, and had dared to hurt her.

* * *

To everyone who has been waiting, I am so Sorry. With work and school and bills and cats and just life, I didn't realize that I had left this story alone for so long. I lost the muse for a bit, and was trying to re-read it to see if I could remember where I had left them off in my head, and where they were going. I really didn't mean to leave you all hanging for so long, but the gang should be back for a while as I remember what I was planning to do with all of them. And whoever notices the eye change, yes, I did that on purpose again. I think in either the next chapter, or the one after, I reveal why I changed them, from the first time and to now. I'm revving up again to complete this story, so you won't have to wait so long for the next chapter! I promise you that! *goes off to type*

And for those that are still around after waiting this long, thank you very much. To be a writer doesn't mean a thing unless you have someone reading your works, so I really do appreciate you being patient and staying with me.


	9. Demon Borne

**Chapter Nine: Demon Borne**

_Story: Knots of Fate_

By: Sky

* * *

They took Hiroshi up on his offer, and settled into the rooms provided for them that night. Kagome and Sango had their own room, with Shippo and Kirara, while the men took off to their own separate sleeping quarter, though they were next door. A meal was provided in the rooms for them, and mashed roots and other various things were brought for Shippo to eat. They were strange new flavors for him, and some, he certainly showed displeasure in tasting. Other, he wanted more of. It was a pretty good indicator of things that he could eat later, and the hanyou that brought the food for him took great delight in helping him eat his food; always under Kagome's watchful gaze of course. There was a lot to absorb this night. They had learned so much, and Kagome's head was still reeling with all of it. She could only guess on what the Exterminators were feeling. Sango was on her side of the room, gently rubbing a cleaning cloth over Hiraikotsu. She had met the father of the one who had given her that weapon. Only Sango knew what she was thinking.

**OoOoOoOoO**

Sango continued to clean Hiraikotsu. She didn't know what else to do. She had finally started making her place here in this world. She had finally fit in, and found her nitch. She had even mastered a weapon that few could. And now, all of that had changed. Her fingers glided deftly over the smooth surface of her weapon. Hashba had told her that it was made by the bones of several demons, and that it could hardly be matched. It was strong, and though a bit lumbering when held still, was deadly accurate. It could be used defensively and offensively. She recalled the countless times she had used it as a shield in practice, and out in the field. Hashba had been relentless in her training, and had taught her everything he knew. Which had been a good thing, since now he was buried under the ground near the edge of the wall.

Tears silently stole their way down her cheeks as she continued to work; polishing Hiraikotsu to a mirror finish. He would be mad at her if she didn't take care of her weapon. She had seen a few of the Trainees fall victim to one of his lecture if they didn't take care of their weapons, or their armor. She could just see him rise from his grave to tell her off, if she didn't take care of his weapon, his Hiraikotsu. That thought gave her a sad little chuckle. She would never practice with him again, or hear him laugh. Never sit by the fire and have a pleasant conversation. She had known this for a while, and had kept it hidden from the others, but while she was out traveling, she could stuff the emotions deep down, and not feel them. Finding herself back in Momiji, made it hard to forget.

To find out that he had been the child of a half demon had certainly been a surprise to her. Though, he was incredibly strong to heave around the large boomerang. That, in its own way, couldn't mean much though. Exterminators were bred and born tough. They could endure more than a normal human could, but even that weapon was too much for normal people. That was why it was forged and given inside the walls of Momiji. Only an Exterminator could ever hope to wield it.

She felt eyes on her, and knew that Kagome was watching her. The girl was always so curious. The information that she had learned today had probably also peaked her curiosity. She could understand why, really. To find that, in a very distant way, Exterminators and Demons were actually related. Hell, it would peak her interest as well, and in a detached part of her mind, she really was. But for right now, the wound was too great to really feel anything. So she didn't answer Kagome's curious look. She just kept her attention focused forward, on Hashba's legend that he left behind.

**OoOoOoOoO**

Miroku himself was feeling rather numb. The village was destroyed, and all those that he knew here were gone. They lay buried in mounds along the wall. And to find out, that Exterminators were actually related to demons had been a true shock. Though, it did explain a few things about his people. Though, to think that he was a monk, and had demon blood somewhere in his background, was little hard to grasp. However, Midoriko had been the child of a priestess and a demon, so there was holy blood in the background. Maybe that hadn't been the only instance of both sides meeting and having children. He could be from a line that had done the same thing, and thus why he felt the calling of a monk, while still having the blood of the Exterminators.

He sighed and rubbed the back of his head. No wonder Sango had not wanted to talk, if this had been the secret that she had been hiding. He wasn't sure if he himself could have kept the secret so long, but she had also been in the fight. She had to have been traumatized by it, which is why she didn't speak much about it. He wished he could discuss at least his own ideas and opinions with someone, but Guthrow didn't look as though he was in the mood to speak, and Yasha had left the room shortly after they had been shown where to sleep.

**OoOoOoOoO**

Yasha was far too restless to lay down. He was feeling better since he had nearly died from his fever; remarkably better in fact. He felt as though nothing could stop him, and had an energy coming through him that you only really felt with adrenaline or when you suffered from a sugar rush. So instead, he went for a walk, to keep himself from thinking.

He walked by the graves, noting each weapon as he slowly passed. In a special back corner, he found the second boomerang, the sister of Hiraikotsu. Hashba was there. He had paid his respects to his mentor and friend, before he had gone to search out the others that he knew. Images of faces came to him of the Exterminators that lay now beneath the mounds of earth. Here, a pair of hook swords. Those would belong to Nao. The probably couldn't find his instrument. Nao was always singing when he wasn't fighting. There was a rumor he had been born singing. Next to him was a chained whip with a rather large wicked hook on the tip. That would be Asami. She was always up earlier then the sun to greet the day. She was one of the best weapons-smiths in the village, but was always careful and good-natured around the children, and was left behind many times to guard them. He continued down the line of weapons, until he came across of group of weapons that he dreaded finding, but knew as well as their owners.

Ken'ichi's sword lay in two pieces on the mound. There were several dents in the blade, and it had snapped near the center. Something big and heavy must have hit it. Beside the bound with the sword, was a badly splintered bow. The hand-grip was carved with the markings he knew that Nathru was working on. To the side of the bow were a pair of twin spears, one on each mound. Each spear had a crescent moon-type blade for the spear tip, and the edges both outside and inside were sharp. Those would be Sachio and Ichiro. A chain-whip with a diamond blade on the end would be Yoshi. His friends were all accounted for now, here forever together, lined up after the battle. They would not go out adventuring again. They would not find themselves back in the West, trying to prove themselves capable Exterminators when all they were proving were that they were still too young. No more mock-fighting around the village, no more sparring in the main area. There would be no more pranks played on the others, and no running in mock terror from Hashba as he went after them for some misdeed they had done. Sachio and Ichiro were never going to develop some clever plan to go steal drinks again, and to sit on the rail and give Nathru encouragement as he mastered his bow. Yoshi was never going to get to order the boys around again like he was much older and wiser then them, and they would never again sit around the fire, and listen to one of Hashba's tales that he wove into the night air, making even the oldest of them excited about who they were, and the adventures that they would have. Never again.

He fell to his knees before the graves, his head bowed, and his hands clenching to his sides. Why? Why had this happened? Why did their lives have to end like this? Yes, there were hardly any very old Exterminators around. This life didn't let those who became too slow survive very long, unless you took up a position in the village. But these were boys. They had yet to become men really. Some of them had had the chance, but others were still too young. They had not been living long enough to die. His heart constricted painfully in his chest, like someone had it in their fist and were squeezing it tightly. Though, it was strange, because he could feel its beat through is entire body. The sound of it was even in his heard, drowning out all other sounds.

Grief and anger curled though his entire body, constricting his chest and making it hard to breath, though it increased the sound of his heart. He had failed them all; those that he called his friends. He was off being baby-sat in the West, while they were here in the North, dying. Maybe he could have turned the tide of the battle. Maybe he could have saved their lives. If only he had returned home, instead of spending time with Kagome. They were never going to be able to be together anyway. He could have saved his friends. His blood turned to fire in his veins, burning and scorching him from the inside, but it was what he deserved. He had failed them all. Without thought, he threw back his head, and let out an inhuman cry. It sounded like strange mix of a scream of rage, and a howl.

**OoOoOoOoO**

Kagome had been settling Shippo down to sleep, when her head snapped up as she heard a strange howl. Her ears were fully erect as she took in the timber of it, of the rage and sorrow that were mixed into it, and she felt a shiver go down her spine. That sounded like Yasha, but it couldn't be. No human throat could ever make that sound. A wave of power then washed over her, and would have driven her to her knees if she hadn't already been kneeling. Something was happening, and something was terribly wrong. Shippo started crying out, sensing the power in the air, and Kagome knew that there would be no way to quiet him. Not until the pulse of power went away.

She quickly ran out the door, leaving the crying babe behind to see if she could find the source. It couldn't be Yasha. He was merely a human. Something must be hurting him, or attacking him. As she reached the door, Kagome noticed the other villagers peering out of the doorways towards the mane gate, where it seemed the source of the demonic breeze that just started was. Miroku and Sango were quickly by her side, and Guthrow in his human form was there as well. Both Exterminators had their weapons ready, and looked braced for a fight. Without a word, Kagome started running towards the wind. "Guthrow, Please, look after Shippo for me!" she called, knowing that someone was going to have to be left behind if she was going to leave. The demon nodded, and she ran towards the outer wall. The sight that greeted her, as she ran around the last hut in her path, made her freeze in her tracks.

It was Yasha. He was standing there, in a semi crouch, with his head bowed down towards the graves. He was at the center of the demonic whirlwind, his unbound black hair flipping over his shoulder in the breeze. His back was towards her, but she knew it was him. Then, her eyes widened as she watched claws grow from the ends of his fingers as the energy intensified, and starting from the tips, his hair became silver; the color burning away the black like a full moon dispels the darkness of the night. While his hair changed, his ears slid up from the side of his head, forming little triangles atop his head much like Kagome's own ears. They were dog ears, also like hers. But Yasha had no demon blood. How was it that he was not transforming? That seemed to be the least of her concerns though, as he threw back his head again, and it was a mix of the scream and howl she had heard before. But in throwing his head back, she was able to get a clear view of his face.

A set of jagged magenta stripes now graced both of his cheeks, at about the level of his human ears. They extended to about mid cheek, and looked about like scratches in the skin. He had also acquired fangs, and they extended nearly down to his chin. The worst part was his eyes. They were red, and the iris now slitted and yellow. They were demon eyes, and they were tinted with madness.

Without thinking, Kagome made her way to his side, bracing herself when she ran into the demonic energy waves that came off of him. They were amazingly strong, and defiantly held a hint of dog to them. Was that Yasha's bloodline? Were the Exterminators he was from descended from Dog Demons? No time to think of that now. She had to calm Yasha down. He was going mad, and a mad demon was the worst to face, even if it hadn't been a demon before.

"Yasha…" Kagome placed a hand on his shoulder, only to find herself flying backwards and into the side of the hut. Pain lanced up her spine as she connected with one of the main supports. With a side-thought, she also noted that she was bleeding now where Yasha's long claws had punctured her on the chest when he had shoved her backwards. Yasha would never hurt her like that. He really was going mad. It was more apparent in the growl that he was letting out now then in any other way. It was a growl only the mad let loose, and not the angry type of mad. Yasha really was going insane. Of course, she thought with a detached part of her brain while she still tried to recover from the attack, he was a human trying to handle a demons energy. That was enough to drive anyone mad. She's ask later how he managed to get his hands on it, if even he knew. The two Exterminators she had been traveling with came to her rescue while she was stunned, fighting a battle she was sure they couldn't win. She needed to get up.

With a shake of her head, she pulled herself up from the debris, silver eyes focusing on his red. She could see nothing of Yasha in his gaze, and just the beast he was becoming. She would have to rectify that situation. She felt her heart race at what she was about to do. If she miscalculated, she could seriously injure if not kill him. It was a risk she would willingly take. She was a demoness. They could survive though a lot.

**OoOoOoOoO**

Sango followed Kagome only to stop dead in her tracks as they rounded the side of the building. Something was terribly wrong. Yasha should not have enough demon blood to transform, and yet he was, and right before their eyes. She didn't even try to stop Kagome as she made her way to his side, but when Yasha threw her back forcefully, she just knew that they had a fight on their hands. She looked towards Miroku, who's eyes were as wide as her own in shock, and nodded towards him. He understood what she meant. They had fought many demons together, and had spent much time in the others company. Most times now, they did not need words to communicate their plans. He made a motion with his hand, and she nodded in agreement, before running at Yasha, the Hiraikotsu ready in her grip.

Yasha dodged the blow rather easily as she swung the Hiraikotsu over her shoulders at him, though quickly using the force of it to swing it around her catch it before her so that she could use it as a shield against his counter attack. She hard his claws scraping down the bone front, then dodged his strike aimed at her head. Miroku attacked then to protect her retreat, catching Yasha's claws with the top of his staff and pushing him back. The demon Yasha slid back a few feet, then growled maliciously at the monk, before charging forward, only to have to leap sideways to avoid the full hit of the Hiraikotsu. Yasha snarled at Sango, his eyes narrowing, as he kicked off the weapon, shoving her backwards on the gravel to slide about five feet, then came out her while still grounded, to try and embed his claws into her neck. Instead, Sango kicked up the boomerang, catching him in the middle, and sent his flying over her head, with his claws embedding into the ground.

Kagome was then standing before Sango, growling lightly.

"Sango, get the humans away. I don't want them to die unnecessarily." She did not remove her eyes from Yasha as she said this. The village was after all, full of humans and half-demons. "They have no reason to die in this fight." Sango beheld Kagome's serious expression, and nodded. It was time to get the others out of the way, now that Kagome had recovered herself. Who best to fight the demon then Kagome, and Sango knew that she wouldn't hurt him unnecessarily as well. Kagome could also deal with worse wound then the humans could. They had now their own important task. And when they got to the area, Sango would be sure to grab Shippo, and let Guthrow join the fight as well. Between the two of them, they should be able to take Yasha down and keep him there until they could at least figure out what had happened to him, why had had transformed, and how he had been able to manage it. For now though, they had to get him down first.

The sides of Kagome's eyes were red as she faced off with Yasha. She had just gotten over worrying about him when she thought that he was going to die. And now this had happened. Instead of a fever or a wound that could be treated and tended, they had to deal with this. There was no treatment for this. There was no way to make a demon not. She growled at the boy before her. If they couldn't figure out what had happened soon, they could lose Yasha forever, and that was not something that she was going to allow to happen.

Quick as bolt of lightning, he was lunging at her, and she easily side-stepped this time. His attacks were uncoordinated. It was like he was just randomly lashing out, which he very easily could be. If he had turned into a wild youki, they had no strategy, except too just keep hitting, and keep going until their prey was dead, or they were. Whoever did this to her Yasha was going to pay.

She easily dodged another round of attacks, and he seemed to be getting farther from his mark. He was getting wilder, and that was not a good sign at all. She needed to end this quickly, let the village be destroyed and those not involved hurt. So, it was time to end it quickly in the best way that she could think. After flipping off to the side to avoid another one of his wild attacks, she concentrated, drawing from herself her true form as a dog demon. If she could catch him in her mouth, or even pin him under a paw, that would hold him still and steady for a while, and that should also buy them some time. Nothing came to her call though. She did not feel herself shifting, or the rush of adrenaline that came with it. Her fangs didn't even lengthen a bit. For some reason, she could not change at all.

* * *

Well, hello everyone. I'm sorry that it took me a while. My muse died for the story, and I've been working on getting it back. Also, my life went a little screwie for a time. Still is, but at least my muse is mostly back. I meant to post this chapter in July, but my time just ran away from me, and i looked up and, hey, It's October. wth. Anyway, here it is, the next chapter of the story. Hope it was worth the wait for those who have been waiting for it.

-Sky


	10. Demon Blooded

**Chapter Ten: Demon Blooded**

_Story: Knots of Fate_

By: Sky

* * *

Shock coursed through Kagome as her form did not shift. What happened? She'd never had trouble before with transforming, and now this? She quickly shook off her distraction though as Yasha launched another attack at her, wilder then the one before which was rather good for her. Kagomes distraction could have cost her much, if he had been able to think with his attacks. Though, his last one had come perilously close to the graves. He would never forgive himself for unearthing one of his fellow Exterminators from their place of rest. She had to get him outside of the walls before anything else was damaged besides the house she had landed in, as well as the people. She did not doubt that they were tough, but Yasha was now wild, and would not have any idea to control his power.

"Sango, get the gate open!" she called, dodging another attack. Each missing attack seemed to increase the timbre of his growl, and caused him also to become more reckless and wild with his attacks. His hair was now completely silver, as were his ears, and his eyes nearly glowed a solid color. His claws were no longer growing, but were about two inches longer than his fingers now, and were as strong as any demons claws. She had had firsthand experience now to their strength. Kagome watched as Sango raced towards the main gate, and was met at the chain by a pair of half-demons that looks like one could be a bull. He looked more demon then human, and only had one eye. He was able to make use of his split-hoof hands with the chain though, and worked on tugging the large links down so that the door would lift. However, the movement caught Yasha's eyes.

He raced towards the door, with Kagome hot on his heels, and was met with resistance by Sango, who used the Hiraikotsu as a shield, and then Miroku used his staff to swipe at the enraged boy. Yasha ended up ricocheting off of the Hiraikotsu to avoid the staff, and aimed himself at Kagome, claws bent and a snarl of rage marring his features. Kagome returned her own snarl, caught him by the wrist, and flipped him so that his was the first to hit the ground. The impact left an indention in the earth, and stunned him for a moment as the large gate started to swing outwards, the pointed ends releasing from the earth, and pointing towards the main path. There was enough room under it now though, to remove a certain being from the village. As Yasha went to pick himself up, Kagome grabbed him by the scruff, and tossed him under the door, sliding backwards on his back outside. Kagome herself stocked forward, her eyes bleeding more towards a red color. She had no desire to hurt Yasha, and she felt her gut clench as she had thrown him towards the ground. Any normal person would have broken their back, but he was still moving.

Yasha rose to his feet, the breeze playing with his silver locks, and brushing them to the side of his body. He was crouched, almost in a hunting pose, with claws curled towards his palms, his gold and blue eyes mindless with rage. She had to get him down before he hurt himself, because he just wasn't thinking about his own safety anymore. Under her own anger of seeing him like this, Kagome felt a deep sadness at having to hurt him. He was her friend, if nothing more. She didn't like hurting her friends. She couldn't help growling at him, showing a little fang as she faced off. She was going to best him, and then she was going to find a way to return him to his right mind. Then she was going to find out what had done this to him, and destroy it.

Yasha let out a guttural cry, speeding towards her, and Kagome braced for his attack, when a blur of silver and white race between the them, and Yasha was no longer racing towards Kagome, but was flying backwards, to leave a long furrow several inches deep in the ground. She blinked in shock, the red instantly clearing from her eyes, as she looked at the broad back of her brother, his angora-like tail swaying gently in the natural breeze, and a hand on the hilt of his blade.

"You dare attack a child of Taisho?" His tone was low, and menacing. She could imagine his eyes narrowed, and red at the edges. Kagome could only wonder what he was doing here. What _was_ he doing here? Wasn't he off on his own quest for revenge? She had only a moment to contemplate when Yasha launched his attack, and Sesshomaru pulled out his whip. He could take out full demons with that whip. A crazy demon was not going to be anything to him. Sesshomaru launched his attack the same time Kagome rushed forward, grabbing onto his arm and holding it while he attacked. Instead of having several whip cuts that would have spit the boy into several pieces, it was stopped at one, that left a large gash in the front of his chest, and sent Yasha flying backwards, and once more leaving a furrow in the ground.

Sesshomaru's head snapped towards his sister, his eyes widening slightly, showing his surprise. Kagome held firmly to his arm. When she had seen she had stopped his attack, she released his arm, and raced forward towards Yasha, who lay unconscious on the ground, bleeding from the deep wound in his chest. Silver strands played across his features, and caught upon his silver lashes. His eyes were closed in unconsciousness. She knelt beside him, and was relieved to see his chest rise and fall. He was still alive. Then she turned back to her brother, who stood as she had left him, his eyes showing a hint of betrayal. She had stopped his attack, and now ran towards the enemy that was trying to attack her. It didn't look like she was sparring. It looked like an actual attack.

"It's Yasha," Kagome said softly after seeing the look in her brothers eyes, and turned to remove the hair that was like spider silk from his face. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed at her words. She had to have been mistaken. The human boy was not demon, or even half. Sesshomaru would have picked that up in the disgusting creatures scent when he first has caught it in the air. He took a cursory scent, and did taste the fowl stench of the boy in the air, with the hint of something else. It was… familiar. He wasn't sure why. His eyes turned towards the nearby village, and his back stiffened. There were half demons and humans looking out over the walls at the scene before them. The gate was now closed to all those that may try to enter, and Sesshomaru couldn't help but scoff. Such puny walls to protect such filthy and weak creatures. they were better because of their walls.

Then he watched as they parted, and Guthrow in his natural form made his way to the battlement, then leapt over the side, landing lightly on the ground, and making his way over. Maybe he could get some sense out of Guthrow, because Kagome was not making any. He was not fond of the half-breed, but he was known for his truth and his cunning.

**OoOoOoOoO**

While Sesshomaru awaited the arrival of Guthrow, Kagome examined Yasha, and was drawn to a slightly glow under his dirt and blood-stained shirt. It was a bauble, glowing a reddish-pink. She had seen it on him many times, but it had never glowed before. The other beads on the necklace appeared to be old stone or wood, and old teeth, though she was not sure what type they were. Her eyes were drawn only to the bauble. She stroked the cool edges, and found that she could not remove her eyes from it. It was so beautiful… So brilliant…. She had to have it.

She removed the stone from around his neck, letting his head lightly hit the ground as she dropped it, to hold the necklace in the air. Sunlight gleamed through the clear stone, and she bathed in the red light that was cast through the gem. It was like a soft caress, and she nearly growled in pleasure. The power that flowed through her… nothing could touch her as she was. She felt invincible.

**OoOoOoOoO**

Guthrow bowed as he came towards Sesshomaru, though before he could explain the situation, his eyes caught movement over by Kagome. He would assume she would be examining him, and trying to see if her brothers attack would have injured him greatly. He had been traveling with her long enough to notice something odd in her pose though, and he watched as she removed the stone from around Yasha's neck. What would she want with the boys necklace? She had never shown an interest in owning it before. Why was it important she have it now. He did not like the way that she seemed to bathe in the light, and his ears flicked backwards momentarily in unease, before not quite returning to facing completely forward. They had a tilt to the side now.

Sesshomaru watched the other, and noticed his response, then turned to watch his sisters actions as well. They were very… un-kagome like. Even when she had spent her days playing as a 'Lady', she had never stolen a bauble, even one that she had coveted from another. Why had she started now.

"Kagome," he barked in his commanding tone, and watched her stiffen and turn towards him, her lip curling in his direction as she hugged the bauble close to him. His eyes narrowed dangerously at her, but this only caused her to show him a fang. This was unlike Kagome. She had not been this type of defiant since she was little, and before she had learned manners. She knew better now-a-days. This was unbefitting behavior for her.

"Kagome, leave that and come." His tone brooked no arguments, and his posture said that he would have no argument from her, but Kagome clutched the gem closer to her chest, and growled at him. She actually _growled_ at him. His displeasure showed in his features at her behavior, and he stalked towards her. She stood to face him, teeth bared and eyes going red.

"Mine," she barked, her grip tightening on the gem. She was not intimidated by his deliberate steps, or the lethal gleam to his eyes. She was going to protect it from him. He was going from her gem, and he was not going to have it. The gem warmed her hands, and she almost heard whispering words in hear ears, telling her how he wanted it for himself, and how he did not think that she was strong enough to own it. He was older then her, and therefore he would want it, just because he thought he was better. He always thought he was better than her just because he was older. Well, not this time. This time, she was going to show him. The gem almost felt warmer as that thought crossed her mind. When Sesshomaru drew near enough, she struck out at him.

Sesshomaru dodged the attack, his eyes dangerous. Whatever that thing was, he was sure it was what caused Kagome to act in this way. So, he was going to take it away from her.

"You will cease this now Kagome," he growled back, as she aimed a powerful kick at him, and dodged quickly out of the way. He nearly felt the venom come to his claws, but stopped. This was his sister, not some enemy. He would never strike her in that way. The very idea appalled him, and his gaze went back to the bauble in her hand. Was that also trying to affect him as well? That was crossing the line. Nothing could control him. Her attacks were calculated, but he had centuries of experience more then she did. After watching her movement, he quickly stepped forward, grabbing her by the throat and bearing her to the ground as his other hand grabbed the bauble, and flung it aside. Kagome hit rather hard, and for a moment struggled in his grasp as she tried to free her throat. He held her steady, then watched as her eyes cleared, and widened with shock, looking at him with confusion. Sesshomaru held her down for a moment longer, watching her eyes clear, before releasing his hand and rising, though still watching her. Kagome stayed on the ground, now looking rather dazed as well as confused, as she gazed upon her brother.

"I'm…. not sure what happened," was all she could think of saying, because her mind seemed to have now gone blank. Why had she stolen Yasha's necklace? She remembered he had told her that his mother had given that to him. Why had she also been so sure that Sesshomaru had wanted it? He didn't seem to covet anything, let alone an old bauble. Sesshomaru wasn't one of those that wanted to wear jewelry, just armor and weapons, and deadly grace. He would have never have wanted to steal it from her, yet she had been so sure…

She shook her head, trying to sort out her thought, but they were all so confusing. She couldn't understand any of them, or why she had even had them in the first place. Was that how Yasha felt? Her eyes widened as she remembered Yasha. She turned to find him still unconscious on the ground, and scrambled over to see him. The wound had stopped bleeding freely, and only a sluggish stream escaped every now and then. It hadn't started to close yet, but at least the bleeding had stopped. She turned to her brother then, trying to seek comfort in a world that was changing around her, and found his eyes were still focused on her. What may he be thinking in that head of his? She had known him her entire life, but the truth was no one really new Sesshomaru's thoughts but he himself.

"I don't know what happened," Kagome found herself saying again, trying to have her brother understand the situation, even though she herself was still desperately trying to adapt to the changes herself. Yasha now looked surprising like a half-demon, and acted like a wild one at that, Kagome was trying to steal his mothers necklace now which was glowing at a pretty good distance away, and to top it all off, she was having problems changing. Though, she wasn't sure she wanted Sesshomaru to know that. Sesshomaru would pack her off home quicker than it would take her to blink at him in.

Sesshomaru approached, and Kagome watched him come near, her eyes pleading as she looked down at Yasha, then back to her brother.

"It's Yasha," she told him, and watched an eyebrow raise. "I don't know what happened, but it's really him. I watched him change myself."

"She would be telling the truth my Lord," remarked Guthrow, from his position farther away. He had not wanted to get any closer to the brother and sister spat, though he had been just as surprised at Kagome's behavior. He had watched the pup grow up, and he knew her temperaments. That one, had not been normal. Kagome was well past that stage of her development.

Sesshomaru kept his attention on Kagome, even when Guthrow spoke to him. He wanted to know what had caused such behavior. If this was what a journey did to her, then she needed to stay behind at the palace, and on the grounds, and leave him to avenge her and the family. He was the eldest, and it was his duty and rite. It was also his duty and rite to protect her.

"Kagome, go home," he told her in his cold voice, not wanting her to argue. But of course, she was Kagome. She could never really do what she was told. That's why she was always running off, and usually getting into trouble with the human… now half-breed filth. Or whatever he was now. That did peak Sesshomaru's interest a bit, at how the boy, who had no scent of demon in his blood, was now this. It was only a fleeting interest. Those like him should die, as there was no place in the world for their kind.

"No," Kagome shot back, her eyes narrowing She knew he was going to want her to return, but she'd be damned if she left Yasha behind, and in his current condition until she could figure out what was wrong with him, and how to change him back. She didn't even want to contemplate leaving him to his current fate, roaming wild and mindless. There had to be something to do. She had to think of something. Yasha began to stir, and Kagome leaned forward, only to watch red orbs with yellow irises shoot open, and pour their anger onto her.

Kagome leapt back, out of the range of his attack as he struggled to his feet, and Sesshomaru reached for the blade at his side, the one he had stolen from Yasha, when Kagome grabbed his hand.

"Please Sesshomaru, don't kill him."

"It is mindless, and deserves death." Kagome still kept her grip on his arm, knowing that she could not win against him if he truly did decide to draw the blade and dispatch Yasha, but she could hop to think of something before Yasha died.

She turned when she heard him snark, and he started running towards them, kicking up dirt under his bare feet. Kagome felt Sesshomaru tense, and she was about to move out the way and dragging her brother with her, when it seemed as though Yasha hit a wall. He was flung forcibly backwards, and landed in a heap on the ground, shaking his head with disorientation, and then turning a hostile crimson gaze towards Sesshomaru and Kagome.

"Well, this seems to be a rather interesting time to arrive," came a familiar voice, and they all turned, though Sesshomaru only glanced slightly over his shoulder, at the approaching Silver Clansman. Karamina padded ever so gracefully forward, and brilliant robins-egg blue eyes looked upon the scene before her. She took note of Kagome with her hand resting on Sesshomaru's wrist, as though trying to keep him from drawing his sword. Then her gaze rested on the demon spawn that they were facing, he looked vaguely familiar.

Kagome couldn't feel anything else but relief at seeing the old Clansman. If anything, she would know what to do with Yasha, to return him to his right mind.

"Karamina, please, can you help Yasha?" Her tone was pleading, but she could only hope that Yasha would be helped by her. Kagome watched as Karamina's eyes widened as she looked more closely at the silver-haired demon-boy they were facing, and watched as she started to make comparisons.

"What happened?" asked Karamina, trying to piece together this rather interesting puzzle. Yasha had shown no signs of a demon parentage. Why now this sudden change to him?

"I don't know. One minute, he was fine, the next, he was howling, and mad. I watched him change into… this." Kagome felt her throat constrict. What was he now? He was demon blooded, but was he any part human anymore?

Yasha picked himself off of the ground, and launched himself again, only to encounter the invisible wall again, though this time, the air flared blue. Karamina snorted in distaste as he ran at the wall again, picked himself up, and flung himself again.

"He's in a barrier, and he isn't nearly strong enough to break it," Karamina stated when she noticed Kagome's curious look. "I thought that it may be wise if we keep him in one spot away from harms way for a bit while we try to piece together what is currently happening." Karamina padded closer to Kagome, and sat down daintily on her back feet. "Now, I need to know about events leading up to this point. And do not omit anything." Kagome removed her hand from her brothers wrist, and turned to the Clansman.

"Nothing happened that would cause this! The last few weeks have been rather uneventful actually. We made our way here because Yasha…" She bit her tongue, remembering almost too late that Sesshomaru wasn't aware that Yasha was an Exterminator-in-training. "Wanted to see this place," she finished, though it sounded rather made up even to her ears. Oh well, hopefully Sesshomaru would forget her slip-up, though watching his eyes narrow from the corner of her own made her inwardly curse. Well, that dog was getting out of the bag rather neatly, and was making a rather spectacular mess.

"So nothing has happened recently in your adventures, which would be surprising. But surely _something_ happened along the way." She made it a deliberate statement instead of a question, while her blue eyes bore into Kagomes, and Kagome actually squirmed a bit under the intense gaze. "This is Yasha and yourself Kagome. You two always find mischief and trouble in one form or another. So what has _really_ happened during your journey?"

"Aveatre and Haruki died," was the first thing that came to mind, and she blurted it out before she could think of another way to say it that may be more graceful, and she caught a fleeting thought of Shippo alone in the hut. Guthrow was supposed to stay behind with the small kit. She turned to gaze at the battlements, which were by now covered with those who wanted to see what was going on outside of the walls. Sango and Miroku were not there. Perhaps they were with Shippo? She did not think that Guthrow would have left the kit alone and unguarded. That's where they must be currently while he had arrived here to see if he could assist in some way.

Kagome's sears swiveled backwards as she heard a surprised gasp escape Karamina, and felt more then saw her brother stiffen. Aveatre and Hiruki were well known amongst the courts for their cunning and agility, as well as their absolute devotion to InuTaisho. They had been serving him long enough, and faithfully enough, that their opinion was trusted when measuring those that visited the palace. This included everything between their thought of how tough they were, to their clothing size. Aveatre and Hiruki make preparations based on their information, and whether or not he needed to keep a close

"What happened to their pup?" Karamina asked, her eyes questioning and deepening in color with sadness.

"Shippo is with me. We've been taking care of him. He's growing well."

"You brought a kit with you on your journey?" She could almost hear an incredulous note in her brothers tone, and her ears flatted briefly at his tone.

"Yes I did. It was either I brought him with me, or let him die. I chose to bring him because then he at least had a chance."

"You could have taken him back to the palace."

"Yes, I could have, and then you and father would have tried to keep me pinned in the walls again. No thank you. This is something I have to do as well." She turned to face her brother, her hair swaying behind with her movement, and that's when Karamina noticed something unusual on Kagome.

"Where did you get those new scars on your neck Kagome?"

Kagome knew that tone. There was anger hidden in the depths of that dulcet tone that Karamina was using. There was anger, and there was death. It was a very dangerous voice, though very beautiful to listen too, and that's what also made it dangerous. Unless you knew what you were listening to, you would never know the true emotions underneath. And she couldn't help but stiffen as Sesshomaru reached out to turn her face with his fingertips, roughly and gently at the same time, and touch the scars on her neck lightly with just the tips of his fingers. She stepped back, and then brought her own fingers up to her neck, to gently caress the small circular marred skin, circling the spot of the scars while her mind wondered, and she remembered exactly how she had gotten them.

"It was the same night Aveatre and Haruki died. There was a really bad storm. I had gone out into the forest…" _'After another fight with Yasha,'_ she added mentally but never aloud. I never really saw it. It had me, and I couldn't get free. When I woke up, Yasha and Guthrow were hurt, and Aveatre and Haruki were being buried." Sesshomaru turned towards Guthrow, golden eyes narrowing, and his tone dripping cold venom. Guthrow held his ground, though his ears briefly flicked sideways with shame. He really should have followed her.

"You allowed this type of harm to befall my sister?"

"She had not been away for very long. It was the boy who had first sensed the danger to her though a moment later, I knew something was wrong as well. And then we were off to find Kagome in that monsters jaws. It looked like a Velkir again, but black as a moonless night, with one green eye and one blue, and that creature in the pelt was there again. It felt as though Kagome's powers were being drained. I could feel it in the air. The boy went to distract it, and I went to keep its master from killing us all. He had managed to get Kagome free and away, when other aid arrived to the battle." He was not going to say that the Exterminators arrived, especially with Sesshomaru in earshot, and the village not a stone's throw away. All they needed was for Sesshomaru to go ramping through the village. Especially now that it contained more of his other creature that he hated: half-demons. He knew they could figure it out, but he wasn't going to say it, just like he was not saying Yasha's name.

"In wounding the beast, it turned and grabbed his arm, and that's when it broke, and then the battle turned, and it fled with its master towards the camp. We can only assume especially with the way that they were killed, that they were the ones that killed Aveatre and Haruki."

Kagome had turned her attention to Guthrow as he spoke, trying to keep her attention off Yasha, who was making himself bloody by his attempts at the barrier. It did not seems as if he would stop soon unless he either knocked himself unconscious, or was dead. It broke her heart to see him like that, but she was also curious about the battle that she had had no part in, and wasn't even conscious enough to witness.

Karamina thought for a moment, and then her blue eyes lit. There was an idea in her eyes.

"Wait, you said that it felt like Kagome's powers were draining, and then it bit Yasha?"

"I don't think it really intended to. It was more of a reaction to the fact he was digging his blade out of its shoulder," Guthrow stated, curious as to what had made Karamina ask such a question. Then the blue gaze settled on Kagome.

"Has anything been different since after that attack?"

Kagome's ears flattened to her head, disappearing in her raven locks. She had hoped no one would ask her anything so soon where she may have to reveal the fact that she could not change, but she could not lie to Karamina, especially if it may somehow help Yasha. Though, she was far from happy on having to reveal it before her brother.

"I haven't been able to shift to my true form. I am currently stuck as I am," Kagome answered softly, hoping her brother would not hear but knowing he would. Her eyes were downcast, and she felt small and like a child again. "Though, I tried shifting so I could pin Yasha down before he hurt himself or someone else, but I couldn't change," she added hastily while the others reacted to the news. "Why?" she asked, curious on why Karamina would ask that question after learning on how Yasha broke his arm. But Karamina did not grace her with an answer yet. She instead turned back to Guthrow, and intensity in her gaze.

"Was Yasha ill after that battle?" Guthrow nodded in confusion.

"Yes. He burned alive for several days in fact. We would not keep his fever down, though finally it broke, and he recovered rather quickly." He could not understand her line of questioning. "Karamina, it could have been a wound fever as well. The creature left a rather large hole in his arm from where the fang pierced the skin. He was suffering from a fever even before we left the battle grounds."

"It's possible, but unlikely." Karamina turned her attention then to Yasha, and watched as he threw himself at the barrier again, snarling. "He can't control it."

"Can't control what?" inquired Kagome, her attention switching between Guthrow, Sesshomaru, and Karamina. Guthrow looked completely confused, Sesshomaru's eyes were only narrowed slightly in confusion, though he looked as though he was trying to put together the pieces of the puzzle that Karamina had gathered and laid out, and Karamina looked determined and thoughtful.

"Your powers Kagome. Yasha has gained some of your demon blood."

* * *

Yes, funny to think I'm still Alive. Hello all campers. I mean to have this chapter out as a christmas present. Oh well. Better late then never. Hopefully, I surprised a few of you, and there is more yet to come, and some answeres I know that you all have been looking for that I told you would be coming. Well, several of them will be in the next chapter... or the one after that. I'm still editing. Yes, this is all still raw, and there are probably a few gramatical and spelling errors still. I don't have anyone to actually help me with it, so, I do the best I can.

I have added two links to my profile page. These are the images I've been trying to add links to here for a while, but have not been able to. They are of what the Velkir look like, and a version of Guthrow. Megan did a really good job on them, so you should go take a peak. ^_^


	11. To Tame A Demon

**Chapter Eleven: To Tame A Demon**

_Story: Knots of Fate_

By: Sky

* * *

Kagome blinked at Karamina's words. Yasha had her demon blood? That wasn't possible, and she said as much to Karamina. If it could happen easily, wouldn't a lot of half-demons or human turned demons be running around? She hadn't heard of any, save Yasha now. Of course, seeing the way he was acting, maybe they were all killed off before they ever really started exploring the world and causing damages. A full demon would be able to take him out without much issue, especially if the opponent to them was a mindless beast.

"How could he have my demon blood? Yasha has never shown any signs of being demonic before, and he hasn't done anything to gain my blood."

"Ah, but he did, if I understand correctly," Karamina told her in a light tone, turning her attention to Kagome even as Yasha continued to beat himself against the barrier. Kagome blinked at her, her brows furrowing as she tried to concentrate on what the other said, who appeared so certain of the knowledge that she had. Okay, what pieces had Karamina said? Yasha had burned with a fever after they were attacked and healed quickly. Kagome was not able to transform anymore. Yasha had been bitten by a creature. Yasha had been bitten…. After the creature had bit her! Her eyes widened in shock she finally realized how he could have gained some of her blood. She turned to her rather patient teacher, who was waiting for Kagome to come to her own conclusion; tail wrapped around her haunches and resting on her front paws.

"He could have gotten some after that creature bit me! When he distracted it, and it turned and caught him in the arm. But… if it only takes a little demon blood to mix with their own, to turn someone into a demon, why aren't there a thousands of those who have changed? Many demon types cross humans every day as prey, and there are those who fight back. Surely being injected with demon blood or exposed to it would change them if that is all it takes, but there are not any other stories about it happening that I can recall." She tried to riffle through the library of stories she had heard as she was growing up that she had stored away in her mind. Surely her father would have had her tutors mention something like this to her, just in case she came across it, but she couldn't recall anything, and they were some of the best tutors he could find. Karamina shook her head at Kagome.

"That sounds correct, if the story I have is all that there is, though I do not doubt the ones who told it to me in their parts. It is strange that he being bitten after would cause a transformation. Just being exposed to demonic blood will not cause a conversation. Many have tried but none have succeeded." Her head tilted slightly to the left in a thoughtful motion. "Until now that is."

"It should be dispatched," Sesshomaru coolly stated, keeping his eyes on the boy. "It should not exist and therefore need not stay alive."

"Oh, Sesshomaru. You're always about killing something."

They turned to watch a silver-haired woman with blue eyes walk into the area from the direction Karamina had come. Her braided hair that was the length of her mid-thigh was still tied back with a strip of black leather, with the section that was cut to the base of her ears still flowing freely. The shirt she wore today was a mottled green with darker trimmings, in the same traditional style, with the length reaching down to her knees. The loose-fitting pants were a dark brown, and pattered much like a log, and on her feet she wore slip-on shoes that were the same green as her tunic. Her two peircings on the lower lobe of her left ear were still there, though they were small silver balls this time instead of the decorative hoops. The sense of wilderness and the wild rolled from her like waves onto an ocean, or the storms in the mountains. Her Katanas, with the gold dragon on the red hilt and the silver dragon on the black hilt, were strapped across her back, and easy for her to access should she like to.

Kanari had once again graced them with her presence, and Karamina flicked an ear at her in greeting. Sesshomaru's back stiffened a bit at the approach of the other Clansman, but held his ground.

"It is an abomination," was all he said, and she arched a delicate brow in his direction.

"Everything is an abomination to you pup, which once included your sister. And how did that turned out?" Then, she ignored him while he slightly bristled at her, though he only showed his displeasure by the slight narrowing of his eyes. Instead she walked towards the barrier, and the creature inside whose wounds were starting to heal, and seemed to have finally gotten the idea that he wasn't breaking out of his prison. When Kanari came too close though, he did try to lash out, only to land on his backside again. She watched him for several moments, ignoring his snarling, and tilted her head sideways as she tried to understand him a bit more. Though, all she managed was to turn to her sister, tilt her head towards him slightly with an "interesting", and started scenting the air. Karamina did not doubt that her sister had heard every word, as she had sensed her approach long before the others had. Of course, she had a long time to become used to the ways of her sister, and compensate. Those with whose interactions were scares at best may never get used to her ways.

"I don't think it was just a bite that caused all this fuss," remarked Kanari as she walked first towards Kagome and sniffed a few times in her general direction, and then headed out towards an open area of the field.

"What makes you think there is something else, Clansman?" Guthrow asked, watching her motions with interest. If there was anyone that could say they were used to the sisters that was not a Clansman, it would be Guthrow. Kanari turned to look at her sister for a moment, with a fanged half-grin and a gleam to her eyes.

"As I was told once, magic or potions need a catalyst to set them in motion. I have been informed many times that I am a catalyst enough, and need not concern myself with magic, an am almost forbidden from creating potions around my sister's hearth."

"She usually destroys something," Karamina explained in a non-chelant manner to nobody in particular as her sister, who seemed like she had caught a scent, and a moment later confirmed it as she wrinkled her nose, then drew one of her Katanas.

"Like this." What she picked up from the ground was the necklace that Yasha usually wore, that Kagome had stolen. It still glowed with a pale light that nearly looked sickly in color. "This things reeks of magic, and I bet it's what caused all of this." Karamina hadn't paid much attention to the bauble after it had been thrown, being more concerned with Kagome's attitude then the bauble that was stolen. But now that she was focused on it, she could sense a faint pull of power from the necklace, and it was not a benevolent feeling. It seemed to pulse, and Yasha growled savagely, and started battering himself against the barrier again, in the direction of the jewel. Karamina finally had enough of watching him try to bludgeon himself to death, scraped a paw in the earth in a circle, and a moment later, the base of the barrier turned a visible shade of dark blue. Yasha staggered backwards once more from another attempt at the barrier, and then pulled himself to his feet like he was drunk, stumbled forward only a few steps before bringing a hand up to his eyes to try and wipe something out of them. Slowly, like watching a tree fall, he fell to his knees, batting he eyes furiously when he hands fell slack to his side, and then continued the decent once his eyes finally closed. He toppled sideways, and then lay half-curled on the ground.

Kagome's eyes became wide, but Kanari caught her gaze, shrugged, and just said "Sornin" as if that explained everything. Which in fact it did. Karamina had reintroduced Yasha to his old friend again; the pollen of the blue flowers that he detested so much, and that Karamina had used liberally on him during their first encounter.

"That is the Shikon no Tama!" exclaimed one of the half-demons on the wall which caused everyone, save Sesshomaru, to turn to face the creature. Sesshomaru turned away in disgust, and started walking away, though only a short distance. There was still a matter to deal with Kagome after all. It looked like the half demon was about to jump over the wall, when something behind caught his attention, and then he entered the courtyard in the village. A moment later, the large gate was opening, and three figures were walking out. The first was the half-demon, and the second two figures were Sango and Miroku. Neither had their weapons on them as they approached, though Sango really wanted one for protection against the tall silver-haired demon with a chip the size of a mountain on his shoulder. Karamina looked towards those approaching with polite interest, and the whole scene basically stopped as the three approaching became close enough so that they could join the conversation.

"It is good to see you again Clansman Karamina," Sango started, making a formal bow to Karamina, who inclined her head. Miroku followed her lead.

"You as well Sango and Miroku. I am sure you have met my sister before, Kanari." Both turned and bowed in greeting to her as well. "We have." The half-demon with them had also bowed, though he had not said any greetings. He looked like he was a hawk cross. His eyes were gold with narrow slits, and narrowed in the front and back to look birdlike, and some of his motions were quick and jerky just like a birds. His upper lip was also merged with his nose, which flattened into a small hard beak with breathing holes near the end, and because the beak was relatively flat, it left his features looking rather like he hit a wall and remained permanently flat, and his eyes a bit larger to compensate for it.

He also had a crest of feathers along the top of his skill instead of hair, and he did not wear sandals because his feet had talons and he had four long toes; three in front and one facing backwards from the back of his foot. His other proportions were a little off as well. His arms seemed to be longer than normal, in a way like a gorilla, and his thumb was located farther up his hand; more towards his wrist. Fluffy down-like feathers covered the sides of his arms, though he did not have the actual flight feathers. He was grounded. If he was a hawk decendent, that could explain how he had seen the stone clearly from that distance.

"You say this is the Shikon No Tama from your village?" asked Karamina after the introductions were made. The man nodded.

"Yes, I recognize it. I have seen it here before, and I know they were protecting it. Though, it looks a bit different then when I last saw it, that aura it contains cannot be mistaken for anything else. It is the Jewel of Four Souls."

"Different how?" asked a curious Guthrow.

"The beads looks a bit more worn and yellowed then when I last saw it. It looks older than it last when I saw it, but then, I don't accurately remember the last time I saw it either."

"But the jewel has been missing for a couple hundred years," stated Sango, and then pursed her lips as if she was not going to say anything else. What was said, had already been said though. The hawk half-demon turned to her and shook his head.

"You are mistaken Sango. It disappeared from this village the same day the battle destroyed it." Sango looked for a moment like she had eaten a lemon, but smoothed her expression an instant later. That didn't stop Karamina from tilting her head in a thoughtful look, and regarding the Exterminator. She had let something slip. And she doubted it was for the ears of the young Lord Sesshomaru. Blue eyes flicked to her sister, who gazed back for a moment before slightly tilting her head in response. No words were needed to be conveyed between the two of them. She knew what her sister wanted by that look.

"Aren't you supposed to be on a quest somewhere Sesshomaru?" asked Kanari. "What are you doing up here unless you've caught a scent? I assure you, it would not be coming from the village." And idea came to her, and she smoothed her feature into an innocent grin, widening her eyes a bit to obtain an innocent look. "Did you lose your prey?"

Sesshomaru turned to her angrily, hand nearly reaching for the blade at his side, but he stopped himself. For her to insult his hunting ability, when he prided himself on his skill, had struck a nerve with him. His back straightened, and his gaze was dangerous as he faced her, but she only gave him that irritating innocent grin, and he then turned to Kagome briefly.

"Go home," he told her in a tone frigid enough that it should have caused the very air around where he stood to freeze solid, and turned and walked back towards the forest. The Clansman would see her home. Karamina had a particular liking for her, and had done well to keep her out of harm. He had prey to catch. Kanari waited from him to disappear into the forest, before turning back to her sister.

"Well, that went well. So, now that her brother is gone, what were you going to ask?" Kanari didn't particularly care if Sesshomaru heard them or not, which he was still in range. However, she could also bet that she had gotten the pup worked up enough that his attention would be focused more on his prey and less on what his tormentor said. Karamina smirked slightly as Kagome looked between the two, trying to catch on to what really happened, before turning her attention to Sango. Kanari nodded towards the hawk half-demon, who nodded back. They were, in the sense of the word, friends, and she trusted that he would not reveal anything they wished him not to.

"I came up here, when you said that there was no Village left in the North for Exterminators. It appears you were correct when you said that. However, now I am curious as to why you now say that the jewel has been missing for far longer than it actually has been, when you would have been here for the battle and would have known that the jewel was here." Sango's gaze met the Clansman's for several moments before turning away. That was a pretty good answer for Karamina. "I have had different ideas about you and your apprentice, Exterminator Sango. However, now I would like to hear the story on how you came to be in the Western lands, and why you are so certain that the jewel has been missing for some time."

Sango's eyes briefly closed, and Miroku quickly turned to her with a mix of curiosity and worry on his features. Kagome had the same expression, and Guthrow looked positively puzzled. The hawk with them waited with predatory silence, and his gaze slanted towards Sango. Sango sighed, and opened her eyes, meeting the gaze of the Clansman straight on. Karamina didn't flinch under the penetrating gaze of the other, though she could tell others had fallen away from that gaze. Sango was daring her to back down, but she needed to know the story of these two to get a full perspective on why it seemed, a lot of things were happening to them, even for Exterminators, and their rather strange customs and different wording of language. Sango finally broke the silence that she had started.

"You probably wouldn't believe me if I told you, and first, I would like to get him taken care of," She pointed a thumb over her shoulder at the unconscious Yasha. "and figure out what happened to him. At least, if we can, to get him back to his right mind." Her eyes became less hard and demanding and took on a more pleading edge. "Do you think there is a way to do that? I do not think he would like to live his life as a mindless raging beast. If we can't find a way to fix him, and I have to put his down, I would rather do it earlier rather than later if there is no hope of saving him." Kagome turned a startled gaze to the other woman, who shrugged and looked over at Yasha. "He would want it that way, and I would want him to do the same if it was me."

"Kanari, unstring the jewel and bring the beads to me," Karamina suddenly stated, while still looking at Sango. Kanari did as she was told, and quickly untied the fastening knot on the necklace, and dropped the beads and jewel to the ground, before picking up all of the beads and leaving the jewel in place. Her nose wrinkled as she came close to it though, before returning with the beads in her hands. Bright blue eyes closed as Karamina concentrated, then raised a paw near her forehead, and tugged on a single strand of fur, which elongated as she pulled it. Two times she reached up and pulled a piece of fur until it became a string of hair longer then her body and as fine as spiders silk. She placed it under her other paw, and then reached up and removed another strand. After she had removed two of them, she turned to Kagome.

"Kagome, I need a strand of your hair as well."

Kagome's hair was not near the same length, so she pulled about three of them to try and equal the same, and then handed them to the Clansman. Her scalp stung a bit where she had pulled the hairs, but her curiosity quickly overrode that mild discomfort that was quickly fading. What did Karamina want with her hair? It became apparent though when Karamina sat back on her haunches, wove the hairs around the tops of her claws, knotted them together, and started weaving the strands together into a cord; one that looked as though it would be long enough to fit as a necklace. Karamina had doubled up her own hair, so that it was thicker than just her own. Once Karamina wove a certain length, she slipped a bead onto the cord, knotted it, and worked on weaving the next section of cord. The entire time she wove, she muttered softly under her breath. It took about half an hour for her to come back to the end, tying the cord around itself and slipping the ends under gently another bead with a claw tip so that it looked like one continual strand.

Without saying another word, she placed the necklace in her mouth, and made her way over to the barrier she erected, slipping through it like it was just a bubble of water, to stand over Yasha. Blue eyes gazed intently at the boy unconscious on the ground, and then lay the beaded necklace over his head, and tugged it down with her teeth to settle it over firmly around his neck. And with the flick of a tail, the barrier dissolved, and Karamina shook the Sornin pollen from her fur, then took a few steps back.

Kagome, Sango, and Guthrow watched intently as the clear air started to revive Yasha, as he started to stir. A minute later, gold and red eyes opened, and Karamina turned to look at Kagome over her shoulder, without taking her eyes or ears off of the boy. "Kagome, you need to speak a word of subjugation."

"A word of subjugation?" Kagome was baffled, and her ears tilted sideways in a sign of beginning distress. What words were there for subjugation that she could use on whatever spell Karamina had woven into the beads. Yasha struggled to his feet, and Karamina gave Kagome a slightly irritated tail flick at the girls hesitation.

"Yes Kagome. Any word will do."

Kagome watched Yasha struggle to his feet, and shake himself like a dog. He growled menacingly at the Clansman before him, and Karamina gave him a look that would have done Sesshomaru credit. It was a look of 'try it. I'm bigger. I'll win.' and it was a fact. Yasha curled his claws on his hand, and looked like he was about ready to charge. Kagome had to think of something.

"Um… ah…. Sit?" The response was immediate. The beaded necklace started to glow, and shot towards the ground like it had the weight of a falling meteor, and Yasha gave a surprised yelp as he crashed to the ground in an undignified heap. There was even a slight indentation where he had landed.

Karamina turned to Kagome, and her ears were perked with amusement, and she looked like she wanted to laught.

"Sit? That was the first thing that came to your head wasn't it?" Kagome huffed indignantly at her teacher.

"So? You said any word would work." Karamina's blue eyes sparkled with mirth at her answer.

"So I did."

Kagome turned to see Guthrow and Sango's reactions. Sango had a peculiar expression that was a mix between astonishment and bewilderment, and Guthrow wore the same expression as Karamina. In fact, his ears couldn't get any more straight up if he tried. Kagome gave him a sour look.

"What's so funny?"

"I guess you would 'sit' a dog, wouldn't you? Was it the fact he shook like one, or because he has dog demon blood I wonder," Guthrow mused aloud. Kagome would have retorted, except that movement caught her eye, and she turned with baited to watch Yasha pick himself off of the ground.

* * *

Hello everyone. I hadn't realized it had been such a long time since I have updated. It's been a hell of a year. From wrecking my car, getting tendonitis because of my wreck, to my sister dying of cancer, hasn't exactly been helpful with Yash's story. So here is my new years present to you, with a resolution for trying to get it out quicker, baring any other natural disasters going on. Thank you for being patient, and sticking with me this long. There have been some pauses to the story, but I will finish it. I am one who does not like unfinished stories either.

Reviews are always very much appreciated. I love reading them to see what you think.

With that, I dedicate this chapter to my sister, who willingly let me bounce ideas off of her when I got stuck writing, and who has helped me so much with my other stories, most which you have not seen at all, and may one day get published, Thank you.

~Sky


	12. Izaiyois Tale

**Chapter Twelve: ****Izaiyoi****'s Tale**

_Story: Knots of Fate_

By: Sky

* * *

Musouka snarled silently as she had to retreat from her prize. If she had not been worried about attracting the demon lords attention, he would have indulged in a display of fury that would have shaken the forest to the foundations of its roots. She was so close! She could see the succulent morsel before her, and in her same small form that would have been easy to catch. As well as the spawn who had taken her from her grasp. She had entertained for a few moments what delights she would take in disemboweling him, and feasting on what was left, before she started to take notice of the scene that was before her. The spawn was in a barrier, and there was something strange with him. His hair was now silver, and he was throwing himself mindlessly at the walls of his cage. She could not catch his scent through the barrier, but just watching his antics was enough to tell that something was different.

She had settled in for a few minutes to watch, and try to understand the situation which she had not come across before; curiosity taking root a bit in her gaze. Then a few more creatures had joined in around, and his antics had never ceased until the barrier had gone blue. If she was correct, with that shade, that was probably Sornin pollen. It was rather potent so she had heard, and had that distinguishable color. She could make out there words, though sometimes she had to strain her ears forward a bit to hear them. She was more intrigued in the rest of the conversation. And what was that gem that the human Clansman was wrinkling her nose at? She would have to ask Nuraku if he knew what the Shikon no Tama was. Maybe he would reward her, and she couldn't help shudder with pleasure before forcing the thought back in her mind. She had things to learn first.

Though, the lesson was shortened when the human clansman decided to goad the demon lord about his quest for her Master, Nuraku, and sent him back into the forest, near her direction. She only had a few moment to make her escape as quietly as possible and retreat. So, it was the Spawns interference that had caused her to be able to gain only a human-looking form, and not anything else. She felt her eyes start to bleed red at the thought of wanting to destroy something, but for now, it was time to run, and let her Master know what she had learned.

**OoOoOoOoO**

Yasha found his face in the dirt, and an incredibly heavy weight around his neck that felt like he had 1000 lbs, or maybe even a full 100-car train, tied to a string. Though a moment later the weight had been released, and it was like it had never been there before. He tried then to take stock of himself in this strange position and felt like he had been thrown at something heavy, and it took him a moment to take in his surroundings by sounds and feelings first. There were voices nearby, and though they started out muffled by the ringing in his ears, they were starting to clear up, and they were saying something about sitting a dog. That sounded like Guthrow. Who was he talking to? His body ached a bit, but he couldn't feel anything broken when he experimentally shifted his hand, and felt the rough sandy soil beneath it. How had he gotten onto the ground? The last he had known, he had been by the graves of those that he had started to consider friends. Had he been attacked? He certainly wouldn't do something as sissy as fainting.

That was his cue to pull himself up onto his knees. In a street fight, if you were on the ground, you were basically dead, so you got up as quickly as possible to block the next blow. The moment he started moving, besides fighting a spinning world, the voices stopped, and he was able to get into a sitting position. He was surprised that he had to stop for a moment to take a breath. It felt like he had been punched a few times in the ribs, and had bruised them; all of them. That took talent, and some pretty big opponent. He thought he would remember a fight like that. Something tickled his nose, and he raised a hand to brush it away, but it was persistent. When he looked up, a curtain of silver blocked his view, and he angrily pushed it aside to grunt in surprise as it hurt. Apparently, it was attached to his head in many different places. A scuffling noise before him brought a weird sensation at the top of his head, but the sound was amplified a bit. What the hell was going on?

Yasha shoved at the silver curtain one more time, threating internally to kill whoever had attached the stuff to him while he had been down, and managed to remove it from his eyes. There before him stood Kagome, Miroku, Sango, and even the two clan sisters, fluffy-butt and psyco-babe. There was even someone with a bad hair-day… or was that feathers? He shook his head to try and clear his thoughts more than anything else, and felt something shift atop his head again.

"What the hell!" he snarled suddenly, and reached up to grab the offending item. Or, he was going to, until he caught sight of his hands. His nails were now pointed near the tips, and elongated a bit past the tips of his fingers, though they were not incredibly long. The nails had also turned white and thickened a bit, and when he touched one with his other hand, it felt like a claw; complete with the smooth outer sheath. All of his anger fled then, and so did most of the blood from his head. These looked permanent, and not like some stupid fake nails that someone may have tried to put on him as a joke. A silver strand passed by his nose again, and it took him a minute to focus on and catch it, and then slowly follow it back to its source. It was certainly attached to his head. But he didn't have any silver hair… Yasha grabbed a lock of hair almost viciously and brought it before his eyes. The entire handful was silver, and that didn't look like a cheap die either. The hair strands shimmered almost like ice, which was not an effect you got easily with dye. The hair was also strangely very well defined to him, as though his vision had gotten sharper.

Deep down in his gut, he felt distress stir, and there was another movement atop his head. He reached up with a clawed hand, and encountered a furry triangle of skin, lightly muscled, which was a bit sensitive. And attached as well, and rather permanently by the feel of them. What were they? He looked up towards Sango, confusion written over every inch of his face, his eyes wide. What the hell was going on?!

**OoOoOoOoO**

Sango's expression softened as she saw a side of Yasha that was hardly displayed, and he looked more like a young man then the tough fighter he always displayed. Watching as he changed from indignant and angry, to confused and shocked had been something different, and the exploration of the changes that he had not seen yet but could apparently feel. It had been strange watching the triangular set of ears, much like Kagome's, swivel and twitch on his head, and then flatten on his skull as finally his distress started to show. She couldn't imagine how it must feel to have something new moving and twitching atop your head. When he turned to her, she knew it was because she was familiar in a situation that had become strange, and it felt like a child seeking comfort from a parent. She could think of doing nothing else then nodding at him in understanding that these changes were real, though she knew that was not the answer he was looking for as his eyes winded even more and were reminding her of dinner plates; the rich gold almost the color of sunlight through very rich honey, and very different from his usual grey eyes. She doubted she would ever see grey eyes on him again. The golden orbs gave him more of the look of a predator, which she was sure he was even more of one now. Movement at her side caused her to turn her attention to Kagome, who walked towards Yasha carefully yet confidently.

As Kagome drew new him, she lowered herself to her knees before him, and watched him for a moment. Yasha still had a hand on his ear, and avidly watched her as she came near. Sango noticed his nose twitch a bit, and could only wonder what he could scent now, or if that had been changed as well. She only had a moment to wonder though, when Kagome reached forward and gingerly took Yasha's other hand that was resting limply on the ground, and raised it towards her head. She placed his hand gently on her ear then, and waited to see if he would understand. Yasha's brows knit you could see he tried to understand what she was doing, and as his fingers touched her ears, and she stopped, his expression deepened until his brows were almost a 'v' shape. When his fingers moved, Kagome did her best not to twitch, as he examined her own ear with his finger; his eyes were also drawn to them as well. Finally, she couldn't help and she gave an involuntary flick to her ear.

Golden eyes blinked as the muscles moved in her ear, and then slowly, the ear that he was holding on his own head flicked as well as he rubbed it. His eyes lit with understanding, and his ear flicked again. He seemed to understand what was on top of his head now. But that caused his brows lower again in confusion. Kagome gently released her grip on his hand, and his hand dropped back to his side. He looked as though he was trying to ask something, stopped, contemplated again, and then every question that seemed to be rolling around in his thought like leaves through a storm boiled down into one word that encompassed almost everything.

"How?" Kagome's eyes softened as she tried to consider what answer, out of the many that that question could engender, she could tell him. However, she was saved from having to decide what answer to give him.

"Several different events happened that caused this Yasha," Karamina stated gently. Yasha turned to her like he had been stung, and Kagome wondered if he had forgotten that they were all there. Karamina looked rather sympathetic at him as she looked down at him from her sitting position nearby, with her tail curled around her feet again. "Though, what may have started it all was whomever you received your necklace from."

"I think Yasha said that he received it from his mother, Izaiyoi." stated Sango without thinking, and Karamina turned her attention back to the other woman. "Don't think I have forgotten about the tale that you owe me Exterminator Sango. I think now I would like to hear it." Sango raised a finger at Karamina as if she was going to contest, but Karamina tilted her head at her, and then raised an eye ridge.

"You did agree to tell your tale that you think we won't believe in if we 'fixed' him," Kanari stated, crossing her arms over her chest, and then pointing her thumb over at Yasha. Sango took a moment to scowl at the other sister. Normally, she was pretty good about being respectful to them, but she had spent enough time with Karamina at least to know that sometimes she could be a little lax. Also, having to tell them her story was not making her very happy either, and for just a moment, she was going to indulge. Kanari snorted in mirth at the rare scowl that darkened the Exterminators face, and then Sango composed herself again. "Would you care to hear it here in the open, or would you rather we went to the village and somewhere less… open."

"I would rather have this out in the open if you will," Karamina replied after a moment, thinking. "There are some pretty good ears in town, and if this tale is rather unbelievable as you seem to think it will be, I would rather the few who know you two best hear it and be the better judge of it." She turned towards the hawk, and he gave her a respectful bow, and headed back towards Momiji; leaving the jewel where it had been left in a small patch of grass. Along the wall of Momiji, a few others turned away at random intervals, to head to different parts of the city where they would be able to muffle any sounds, as they apparently were not meant to hear the story being told. Kanari watched those on the wall retreat, and snorted with mirth again though this time it was at her sister. Of course Karamina knew that a few of them had been listening in. She had let them know everything so far, but apparently that was enough for now. She had to admit, though only to herself, that she was waiting for this tale. She was intrigued as well at these two Exterminators, though she had spent more time watching Yasha then seeing Sango. She had followed his change from the brash young boy Karamina had first met, when he went to fight in the South for Kagome, to the younger man he was now. How he began his life, and what region he actually came from, was a story she was willing to stay to hear.

Sango nodded as if she expected it, and caught a movement out of the corner of her eye. Yasha's hand had reflexively reached for the beads around his neck, and then he relaxed when his fingers encountered them. She watched him for a moment, weighing what she was going to say next, before addressing him. "I think this story starts long before us just arriving here," she remarked softly, her eyes traveling to the beads that his hand rested on.

"What do you mean?" snarled Yasha, unhappy about where he thought this conversation was going. Sango met his gaze steadily. "The Shikon no Tama vanished from the family shrine long before I was born. How she managed to find it….." She then took a few steps back, so she could see both Yasha and Karamina with only a slight movement. She could see everyone else pretty well too. "No, it starts before that. We are from a time, several hundred years later in your future, as best I can recall. I won't say too much about it, as there are things that are hard to describe, and it is not my place to say it." Karamina nodded as if this was something ordinary, like Sango describing the sky was blue, though it was certainly not how any story she had heard before had started. She was, however, not going to interrupt. She would hear it all before she judged, though it did have the makings of being a strange tale. "Our family, like several generations before, were bred to be Exterminators. We had a shrine that we were trained at, and that we protected, much like Momiji." Her eyes briefly lingered on the now empty walls of the city. The hawk had apparently cleared the walls, and had everyone return to what they had been doing beforehand. Then she pulled forth the locket from around her neck, and opened it to show the pictures inside to those around. "Yasha knows who these are, but let me tell you a story that I was told when I was growing up, that I think now pertains to our tale as well."

**OoOoOoOoO**

Several hundred years in the future though also in the past….

Imiko Samal twirled the chain above her head, listening to the sounds as the metal cut through the air like a well-honed blade. The barbed tip cut a sweeping pattern in the air as she launched it at the series of poles, destroying the various objects that were placed on the tops, and then the chain embedded itself around the last pole, catching the chain 2/3's of the way up so that the rest wrapped around the pole, and then she threw the sickle end of the chain and cut the third item neatly in two. With a tug on the chain, the sickle came straight towards her hand, and she turned her wrist a bit so that the blade passed a hairs width before her fingers, and then they curled delicately but quickly over the handle of the blade before it passed by. The blade quickly stopped in her hand, and she nodded in satisfaction. She removed a lock of dark chocolate hair from her brow, the rest tied back in a long braid down her back. There was pleasure in her silver eyes at a job well done. She felt confident that if there was ever a demon that crossed her path, she would be able to successfully kill it.

"I see that you are mastering the Kusari-gama Imiko. It is well and truly your weapon of calling." Imiko was started by the voice, but then tried not to blush as she turned to face Takizo Jagan. They had been training together for years, and he was one of the best students here. He was also one of the most handsome lads here, with stunning bright green eyes the color of spring grass, and hair as black as jet that he always kept tied into a small ponytail at the nape of his neck. Imiko wasn't the only girl here that had noticed it, but she seemed to find a way to spend more time with him then the others. She smiled, and gave him a slight bow in greeting.

"You honor me Takizo with your praise." He smiled at her with a boyish grin that made her grin. Imiko was the pride of the Samal clan, and she knew it. They had been the guardians of the temple for several generations now, and had proudly kept it safe. Her father could have been no prouder of her then if she had been born a boy instead. Her sister Imarda, was also a pretty good fighter, choosing a staffed blade with twin blades on either side for her weapons of choice. If you were new to the area, you may think that there were only two daughters in the Samal family, as they were all you ever saw and heard of. But there was one more daughter.

No one could really explain the youngest, Izaiyoi. Her sisters showed their Exterminator heritage, but she showed a different side. She did not like the traditional garb that they wore, and instead fancied the several layered kimonos that would be restricting in a fight. Where her sisters had excelled in weapons and tactics, Izaiyoi had found books and worked with doing fine stitching and tatting. She loved creating kimonos that were works of art so amazing, that they fetched small fortunes when they were sold, and only the highest nobility would wear them. When it came to training though in the arts of the Exterminator, her sisters would climb out of bed in all weathers while she was amazingly reluctant. She never closed in a fight, and there wasn't a single weapon she showed any talent for, or any proficiency. Her instructors were baffled, and her father did not know what else to do with is youngest. Her mother had died giving birth to her, so she could not provide her own ideas on the situation. Even those that often came to the shrine looked at her askance. She was born of them, but she was not one of them.

That became even more apparent as she had gotten older. She always dressed up now in clothing that could only be called 'impractical' for the shrine and for their occupation. None of the boys would even speak to her, though she was a stunning beauty like her eldest sister, and Izaiyoi began to feel incredibly lonely. Even her father hardly spoke to her anymore; showing his displeasure in her in his silence. He spent most of his time trying to get Imiko to take Takizo, and it seemed like his plan might be working. Imiko seemed too involved in her own quest to pay any attention to her youngest sister now, and Izaiyoi's only comfort came from Imarda. No matter what she was doing, she always seemed to have time for her little sister, and her 'eccentric' behaviors. In fact, currently she was working as a string holder; having the threads wrapped between her hands and Izaiyoi wrapping them carefully into balls and setting them to the side. They sat in companionable silence for a while, completing this task, when Imarda finally spoke.

"You know they talk about you." Izaiyoi tried not to sigh. She knew Imarda meant well, but her sister really was tiring on this topic. She just seemed to lack tact. There was no deceit in Imarda. Izaiyoi claimed that there wasn't a deceitful bone in her body, but she did say things how she saw them, and that had gotten her into no small bits of trouble when she grew up. But you also knew were you stood with her, and did not have to worry about a knife in the dark unless she told you to.

"They hardly ever speak of me anymore. I do not even exist to fathers eyes any more as I am aware."

"Yes you do. He's just not sure how to handle you since…." Izaiyoi interrupted before the long regular argument started.

"Because I do not wear the garb, and I do not get sweaty in the arena, waving blades around for a day when I may defeat large demons which I hardly doubt even exist anymore. And no…." She raised a finger towards her sister, who was about to interject her own comment. "I do not think I will ever be able to."

"You could always continue the tradition. If you bred a son for father, and the child was raised as an Exterminator, then they would just know you were some sort of atavism, and there was nothing wrong with you. Father would understand that."

"No boy or man will have me because there's 'something wrong' with me. You know that." Imarda grinned with a wicked expression.

"You could always go by the bar after the boys celebrate. They're never very picky then."

"Imarda!" Izaiyoi was shocked at her idea. "I would be demeaning myself to find just some random guy to… to…. There would be talk!"

"Of course there would be talk. They would wonder first who have been desperate enough, and then I am sure they would be proud of the child you produced, when they grow up to be an amazing Exterminator."

"And what if he doesn't?" she shot back. Imarda shrugged.

"I hardly doubt it. Look at Imiko and I. How could he be any less?" And that was when it dawned on Izaiyoi, that Imarda looked at her the same way as everyone else. She just wasn't too afraid that speaking with her would cause her 'illness' to rub off on her, and that her family ties were strong with her little sister, whom she spent a lot of time raising. To discover the person she had though had known her best, had hopes that she would become pregnant off of some Exterminator lad, and the child she bred would redeem her name and honor, was like having her head shattered into thousands of crystalline shards. Though there would not be any shame in not knowing who the father of the child was. Their people had always been a little more loose about the custom of who fathered the children, though it was better if you were married so that they could track the bloodlines. Some Exterminator women had kept such accurate accounts of their lovers so that they could still track the bloodlines of their children, that they were allowed to never marry if they did not wish.

She really was alone here. The last straw happened when Imiko came home a month later, pleased with the fact that she was pregnant, and that Takizo was the father of the child. He had also apparently agreed to marry her, and was going to ask her father for permission that night. Imarda was happy with her sister and her choice of mate, and of course her father had a beaming grin that could light the room. They had left to celebrate, and had left Izaiyoi alone in the back garden, where she had been the entire time this had happened. She had come in to find the house deserted, and tried to locate where they were. She walked to the bar where they had set up the party to celebrate, and stood outside the window watching them. She had not even been invited to the party that they had. That was it. She was done with being ignored because she was different. She went back to the house, and packed a bag of her sewing things, and a few of her almost finished and blank kimono's, some clothing, and headed out into the city, turning her back on the Exterminator clan, and her family forever.

**OoOoOoOoO**

"That was the last anyone had ever heard of Izaiyoi." Sango completed the story, was about to close the locket, and placed it around her neck again, when Kanari stopped her. She grabbed the locked out of the Exterminators hand, and examined the images inside

"So the three sisters on the side…" asked Kanari, though her let his voice trail off as she examined the black and white photos.

"That is correct. That is a photo of my mother and her two sisters. The one on the right is Imarda, though for some reason she wanted to be called Cody. I don't really know why, but that is what we call her. The one in the middle is my mother, Imiko. And the one on the left is … Izaiyoi." She stopped for a moment, and her gaze involuntarily flicked towards Yasha. "She was Yasha's mother." Kanari's head shot up as she looked between Yasha and Sango.

"You two are related?" Sango nodded, and had to remind herself that Kanari hadn't been there when they had discovered that he was blood-kin to her. It was still a bit of a shock, and in some ways, thinking back to her story, she guessed Yasha really was redeeming his mothers name. He was an amazing Exterminator where his mother had not been. And also for a moment, she felt incredibly sad for him as well. It seemed Izaiyoi's bloodline was just not going to receive a break from the fates. She was pulled back to the conversation when Kanari pointed at the other picture. "So would this be your father?"

"Yes. Takizo Jagan."

"Those are amazing replications that someone drew," Guthrow said with awe; breaking the silence that had fallen after Sango explained who was in the pictures. "I have never seen them completed with such detail, though I am not sure why one would make such detailed images so… small." Then, he looked at the locked, and gave a small grin at himself. "Though, I guess they fit just perfectly in that small locket. I guess that would answer my question."

Sango opened her mouth to retort, then closed it and shook her head, deciding to continue on with her tale. "No one could find Izaiyoi. She had learned at least one thing from the Exterminators… how to hide. We searched for years, had concluded that she had died at some point, though he will have to tell you what happened in that time that we searched." She looked back at Yasha, and her gaze traveled to the necklace that his hand still rested on. "…and how she managed to find the Shikon no Tama."

Karamina turned to him, and gave him a steady gaze, and Yasha returned it, though he still felt rather shaken to the core about the fact that he had ears atop his head now, and that his hair changed colors. And now, he had heard a little more of the story of his mother. She would never explain why she didn't have any family, except to say that she had never really belonged, and that they were no longer her family. She had tried to make up for the lack by always being with him, and laughing, and playing. That also meant, that there was no family to mourn her when she was gone, or take the child that she had had. The only one left to remember was Yasha himself. He was not sure he felt like forgiving Sango's mother or sister for causing things to happen as they did. Because of them, he had lived in hell. Because of them, she had died alone. Because of them, she had a small plaque with the letters falling out of it to mark where she now lay. His ears flattend at the thought.

"Another time, perhaps…" was all Karamina said, and then turned back to Sango. "If you are from such a far time, as you proclaim, then how are you here now?" Kagome's ears swiveled towards Sango, and her gaze followed as well. If her story was the truth, how had they come back to this time? Sango shrugged at the question.

"At the shrine, there was a well off the side. There were legends about it, but it had never proven to be very active, so we rather forgot about it. One day, when Yasha was visiting the shrine, I guess he fell in."

"Screw that. That centipede thing grabbed me and you know it," shot back Yasha, offended that she would have forgotten that attack, and would think he could just 'fall into" the well. Sango couldn't help but smirk at his answer. She wondered if that would get a rise out of him.

"He would be right. He did get attacked by a demon, and I followed after him, knowing that he would get himself killed as he hadn't really had any proper training on killing a demon. And that is how we ended up here."

"Why didn't you just jump back in the well and go home instead of staying here?" Guthrow asked curiously. "Surely it would have made things easier." Sango shook her head.

"It wasn't nearly that simple. First, I was taken away and Miroku saved me from that death, as you may recal. Then Yasha was hurt and you were taking care of him, and we lost track of each other for a while. However, I have gone back to the well, twice now, and have found just that; a dry old well. I have been down to the bottom, and emerged here, instead of home. So for now, for better or for worse, we are here. For how long, I do not know. But this is now our home. And I think it would be best, even if we could go home, that we would stay here, until we know if what has happened to Yasha is permanent, or if it can be reversed."

Karamina nodded her head.

"A wise decision. Now, I think, we will go back into Momiji."

**OoOoOoOoO**

Izaiyoi had been away a year before she came back to the shrine. Life had been difficult without her family, and she had sorely missed them. She wasn't sure how she had survived if an ancient woman had not found her sleeping in a park, and had taken her home with her. Her kimono's still fetched a pretty price, but the funds did not last as long as they did anymore. She knew her family had been looking for her, but she thought it was more a token motion then anything else. They didn't really want her, and she didn't want to go back. So she made sure to hide, though she was sure she would have been found by now if the older woman had not taken her in. She was trying to feed and clothe herself, and she still might have to think about seeing if the woman would hire her as a servant, or if she could receive work elsewhere while still remaining in the house. She was getting desperate enough, that she had even found herself considering Imarda's suggestion. She had even created a cozy little nest before she had firmly yanked herself back to her right mind, and had sealed it up. Finally, she had come back to the shrine, slipping through the gate as she used to when she was younger, and found another celebration taking place. Making her way to the window like she once had, she looked in at those that she had once known. She could not discern what the celebration was for, but at the bar sat Imiko, holding a small bundle in her arms. Several of the other women were around her, wiggling their fingers at it, and making funny faces. She could only think that that had to be Takizo's child she was holding. Some of the women made beckoning motions, and Imiko shook her head, laughing and indicating the child in her arms. Imarda came over then, and gently took the child, and then pointed forcefully over to where others were dancing. The other women took their cue, and dragged Imiko laughing, to join the dance.

The pieces of her heart ground together as she watched her sisters act as they had. Once, they had been the same with her. That traitorous portion of her mind took over again, and Izaiyoi became determined. She might have had time to change her mind, except with loud laughter, a man appeared out the door. He was one that she had been hoping would look at her for years, but of course she was invisible to him. He was perfection, and he was drunk, and for one night, he was going to be hers. She had her face hooded to protect from the snow that was falling, and offered him the world, which he gladly took. Unlocking her nest, she forgot the hurt and the heartache for a time, and let herself fantasize about a different life, and the pleasure it would have brought.

At the end, when he slept exhausted on the bed she had created, Izaiyoi felt an overwhelming abundance of shame at what she had just done, and fled back to the old woman's house; throwing herself onto her bed and weeping herself to sleep. She had been so despondent that morning, that the older woman had bullied, and nearly threatened the story out of her houseguest. After hearing her tale, the woman had placed a warm arm around her, and let her cry, and then shocked Izaiyoi.

"I too had a hard time living at the shrine, so I left it in charge of my son and grandson. They did not see fit to provide me with any granddaughters, but I do not feel bad about giving it to you." Izaiyoi had blinked at the woman's words.

"The shrine? You were an Exterminator?" She woman smiled. One of her eyes was milkey, and Izaiyoi was not sure she could even see out of it anymore, and it looked like there was a scar that went from above her eye to below it, though her wrinkles did a good job of hiding it.

"I still am. Though, do not worry about me telling them where you are. If he felt you needed to leave, who am I to tell them where you are. Just under one condition. You see the box on the shelf there?" Izaiyoi turned to see a worn wooden box, lovingly polished but dark with age, setting on a shelf across the room. "Bring it to me." She obliged, and set the box gently before the other. With a grin that made her main violet eye sparkle, she opened the box, and pulled out a beaded necklace. The beads looked hand-carved and very old, and in the center of the beads was a red jewel, that looked oddly familiar.

"This is the Shikon no Tama." Izaiyoi rose to her feet.

"The Shikon no Tama! But the Exterminators have been looking for that for years!"

"And they will continue to do so," remarked to woman, with a sly grin. "It was given to my ancestor for safe keeping, and then it was passed to her daughter, and then it came to me. I was given no daughters of my own, and my sons could not produce daughters either. I would never trust this to another who was not an Exterminator as well." She ran fingers lovingly over the bead like it was an old friend.

"Then, you would not want to entrust it to me, as I am a very bad Exterminator." Izaiyoi stepped away from the table with her hands behind her back, and head bowed.

"But that is why I am entrusting it to you. Maybe you were never meant to be swinging blades and fighting demons. Ever think that you may have been meant to be a guardian?" Her head shot up as she looked at the older woman in shock. Could there be a purpose to why she was different?

"Those that have been entrusted with its safe keeping have never found peace in the temple, and the jewel has never returned. I left, and was entrusted with it. You have left, and now you are as well. This may just be what you were born to do child."

Izaiyoi had accepted the gift, and burden of the jewel, and had settled into her new home. Life was not easy, especially once she started feeling very ill in the mornings, and then she noticed her belly growing hard. She had indeed succeeded, but maybe she didn't need to redeem her name after all. The old woman, who had declared herself Izaiyoi's grandmother now, had told her she still may want to raise the child, as there was room in the house, and there was nothing that brought more joy to an old woman then the hear a childs laughter. She would never get to hear Yasha's laughter though, as she had finally succumbed to her age two months before he was born.

She was startled one day, as she waddled around the house that had been left to her, when she looked into the mirror, and noticed that her irises had gained a reddish tint to them, and had changed her eyes from dark brown to a dark violet, and after several days of checking, they did not change. She remembered Grandmothers eyes being violet as well, though of a different shade. Why had her eyes changed? And why so suddenly? Then her eyes traveled to the jewel around her neck.

Since grandmother died, she had not been able to leave it in the box. She wore it as a reminder to the woman she had known for only a short time, but had learned so much from. The shade that was added to her eyes was much like the color of the jewel she now wore. She wondered if it really was causing it.

She received her answer six years later on her deathbed, when she placed the jewel shakily into Yasha's small hands, and she watched his eyes shade to violet. She wished she could watch him grow. The world was not going to be easy on a 6-year-old, and because of her cut ties with her family, they were never going to know that he existed. They were never going to know what a remarkable little boy she had, that would probably even make her father proud. She only hoped that things would not be too bad for him, and that he would never forget her. Then finally, she closed her eyes, and slept for a final time, happy to see Grandmother waiting for her.

* * *

There you are. A little back story for ya'll, and hopefully it answers a few questions, though it may generate more as well. Here's something to think about. If you were thrown back in time, how would you explain to someone where you were from? And hope that they didn't think you were crazy of course. I thought I would catch up pretty fast, as it took me so long last time, so that you didn't have to sit with that small cliffie I left last time. So here is the next chapter.

I really do appreciate reviews, and I do not mind constructive Criticism. I know it was a little slow in the beginning, and a little off kilter, but hopefully now it is picking up for you.

~Sky


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